Ear Infection Causing Vertigo

[ccrprospect]

I would think that ear pain would be present with an infection. I had a bout with vertigo while on vacation 5 years ago. Mine ended up being something diagnosed as BPPV. If you care to read through the thread, it's here. Maybe something can help you: Struck with terrible vertigo while on vacation

Even after getting vestibular therapy, I did have some lasting symptoms for a while that made me feel a little "off" in the equillibrium department. I'm happy to report that they've all long since resolved, I'm still diving every chance I get and there hasn't been another episode since (thankfully - it's miserable, as you know!). We didn't have any diving planned for nearly 6 months after this, so I was able to take a natural break from it. In my case, I'm not sure I would have been ready to dive for at least a few months after, but your recovery will likely be diffferent. I also had some anxiety that diving might trigger another episode - even if there was no scientific evidence to prove that. I could not imagine going through that underwater, so that may have played into my mindset to "wait a while" at the time.

Good luck with your situation!

Thanks for sharing. The experience in your linked thread sounds very similar to mine, but yours is more severe (thankfully, no nausea and vomiting on my end so far).

 

[uncfnp]

Not sure any provider would say “sure go ahead and dive” but maybe @doctormike could give you some advice.

 

[doctormike]

Not sure any provider would say “sure go ahead and dive” but maybe @doctormike could give you some advice.

Not me! Sorry, always happy to help as best as I can, but I really can't "clear" you over the Internet...

The bottom line is that viral labrynthitis is exactly what you said - a diagnosis of exclusion. Assuming that a full workup has excluded other causes of vertigo, and assuming that you are back to normal with no difficult equalizing, the history of vertigo alone doesn't mean that you can never dive again.

 

[W W Meixner]

Thanks Warren for sharing your experience. By the way you describe it, I believe you had much more severe symptoms than what I am currently going through.

Thoughts on whether it would be safe to dive with mild episodes of vertigo that only last a few seconds a few times a day?

G...

Wouldn't comment...

After the initial onset...it was ten months before I dove again...I was thankful it was the end of ''my'' season...there were brief periods in the first 4/6 months where standing was challenging...

It would disappear for weeks at a time...and I thought to myself...thank God...it's finally gone...and then it would come back with a vengeance...

I was prescribed a medication by my family physician...but stopped taking it...on the advise of the ENT...who advised...it would run its course lika any ''virus'' and disappear...which it did...

Best...

Warren

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Thanks Warren for sharing your experience. By the way you describe it, I believe you had much more severe symptoms than what I am currently going through.

Thoughts on whether it would be safe to dive with mild episodes of vertigo that only last a few seconds a few times a day?

Hi @Ghattas ,

I wouldn't risk it. Vertigo under water not something you want to go through.

It's interesting that he diagnosed inner ear infection vs. BPPV like @uncfnp mentioned. Did he explain how he ruled out BPPV?

Best regards,
DDM

 

[ccrprospect]

Hi @Ghattas ,

I wouldn't risk it. Vertigo under water not something you want to go through.

It's interesting that he diagnosed inner ear infection vs. BPPV like @uncfnp mentioned. Did he explain how he ruled out BPPV?

Best regards,
DDM

Thanks for your message. He did not go through his thought process. I did a bit of googling myself and tried the maneuvers that would supposedly get rid of BPPV but without much success.