bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
So...just thought I would post this as a separate thread. I've mentioned this in other "ear" threads, but thought it was due it's own category.
One of my most problematic symptoms when I crashed was tinnitus. I never really had it other than the ocassional ringing in 1 ear or the other (normal.)
When I started feeling unwell last Feb, my right ear felt stuffy. Thinking it was anxiety I went to a Chiropractor who adjusted my neck and Jaw. First visit was fine. Second visit, I came out very dizzy. A few days later I had my upper endoscopy and was put under general anesthesia (propofol.)
2 days later, I started to get these ear "zaps" as I call them. 1 ear or the other will suddenly ring VERY loudly for 3-10 seconds and I'm not able to hear anything. It's as if my hearing "goes away" for a few seconds and my ear rings, then it comes back to "normal." It was very bad back then. A few weeks later, my ears started to ring full time.
Today, 7 months into treatment, my ears are better. They still ring, but they don't ring as much. I can usually ignore it. The ringing is typically in the "middle of my head" rather than in one ear or the other.
However...I STILL get Zaps in 1 ear or the other form time to time. These are NOT NORMAL and I'm concerned as to what they are. I'll be fine for 2-4 days and then ZAP...my left ear will spike and return to normal within 10 seconds. Then maybe a day later the Right ear will go, etc. SOmetimes they are very mild, sometimes more moderate. After a moderate one, my ear feels very stuffy.
Is this lyme, or could it be damange to my TMJ form the Chiro? I never had it pre-Chiro adjustmnent, although my ears did feel full whic his one thing that prompted me to go to the Chiro in the first place.
Or, do these "Zaps" mean my abx are working and attacking something? Lyme is an opportunisitc infection, after all. After my jaw was "adjusted" it is likely the lyme settled there / near my ear / TMJ and could be causing problems.
I guess I'm just interested if anyone else out there has or had this and how did you get rid of it. I'm worried the Zaps are causing damage of some sort.
If it wasn't for my ears, I'd feel near 100%. B
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3139 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
This sounds very close to what I have...I stopped treatment cause I thought I was done since this was the only remending issues...Well I am going back on abx...I think....will see what a new LLMD saids...
I saw a dentist who told me I have tmj and getting a splint made for that...
Posts: 324 | From Philly | Registered: Jun 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have this too. I have the exact same thing. If you discover the answer, please let me know!! My ears were great for a week after IV zith, but the zithromax made them "scream", so my LLMD took me off. Now they are back to being stuffy and driving me nuts! I'm thinking they are driving me crazy this week because I feel yeast may be an issue. I will probaby take 3 days of diflucan, so I will let you know if that clears them up.
Posts: 618 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
Could it be that your chiro actually just removed some neurotoxins from one place to another creating this problem? maybe a good detox protocol would help clear the nerve...
Posts: 723 | From Montreal | Registered: Oct 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
Tinnitus can have many sounds, sometimes many sounds all at the same time. Some sounds change with the position of the head.
It can drive a person mad and really very little can be done about it. You really do need to learn how to live with it. Occasionally, it will go away but that's not the norm.
Tinnitus is coming from a nerve but manifests as hearing a hissing, whistling, roar, insects, ring, or a blend of noises, which may explain why after an adjustment to your neck, you noticed a difference. Your adjustment may have either relieved some pressure or exerted some pressure on one of your cranial nerves.
Some researchers have found Herpes virus post mortem which then led to the thinking it was linked to inner ear diseases but this is a theory and not conclusive. L-Lysine is an anti viral and has helped some with inner ear problems.
Some Neurotologists have prescribed antivirals for a period of time to see if that helps calm the scream of tinnitus. Mine chose not to.
I haven't had any reduction of tinnitus with upper cervical therapy or l-lysine. It did, however, increase in noise level after Biaxin. Zith is one drug known to cause ear issues. It's not easy to make these decisions.
The best way to live with Tinnitus is masking by using white noise ( radio tuned off a station ). Being in a perfect quiet room is terrible. Having a cold or stuffy nose only makes the noise seem louder.
I have a noise machine, I sleep with a fan.
Posts: 125 | From US | Registered: Jul 2009
| IP: Logged |
bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
Thanks all. I'm on Biaxin, so part of me wants to know how much is due to Biaxin, etc. I may be going on zith too and I'm a bit nervous of it.
When I'm in a quiet room, it is definitely "noisy." I've always had a bit of tinnitus as I remember, even as a child, how a room was "loud" when it was silent. My mother said that's why they have the phrase "silence is deafining."
My tinnitus definitely changes pitch / tone / volume if I turn my head 1 way or the other. All the way to the left is a big spike in pitch / volume of left ear, etc. Yawning is the same. It's been like this for a very long time (before lyme crash.) Never really thought anything of it before.
I've been doing upper cervical Chiro for the past 7 months (Axis Orthogonal.) I'm holding my adjustments well and am pretty aligned. I also just started accupuncture which should help.
I figure it is either lyme & co in the ears, and the violent TMJ adjustment (essentially trauma..NEVER do this!!!) that I had in March could have released or squished lyme someplace it shouldn't be. Or else it is causing some inflammation, which is putting pressure on my inner ear / nerve. Just like how if I press on the outside of my TMJ the tinnitus volume increases.
Sigh...
Again, on a scale of 1-10, the tinnitus (full time) is a 2-3. Not bad. I can deal. It's these "zaps" that I find unsettling.
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3139 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
Regarding the Zith in your future ask yourself if you will be able to tolerate a higher level of tinnitus. I know people who have developed Tinnitus within a week of starting Zith but blessedly, it faded away quickly after they stopped. That might not be the case if it's used long term.
You might want to have that conversation with your doctor to see if there is an alternative to use.
Isn't it always the way, we take/do one thing and that causes something else. We end up picking between the lesser of evils but where does that leave us?
Hindsight is always 20/20. I wish I had better glasses in those days...sigh!
Posts: 125 | From US | Registered: Jul 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
When you say ear zaps,.....I always have light ear ringing, but lately my right ear drum seems like it is in spasm and almost twicthes. My muscles are twitchy. It is annoying and I have noise sensitivity at timesl
-------------------- gatorade girl
"I still have Mt.Everest to climb, but I have traveled across the world and arrived at the mountain". Posts: 633 | From baltimore | Registered: Mar 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
Again, I don't think medication causes tinnitus but I think dead bacteria in the nerves cause it... Or maybe H pylori , i reasd somewhere that treating it lessens tinnitus and headaches...
Posts: 723 | From Montreal | Registered: Oct 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
Medications do impact hearing and vestibular systems. So do viruses, bacteria and head trauma. Anything involving the neurological system can impact the ear/vestibular system.
Drugs that commonly cause or increase tinnitus
* NSAIDS (motrin, naproxen, relafen, etc) * aspirin and other salicylates * Lasix and other "loop" diuretics * "mycin" antibiotics * quinine and related drugs * Chemotherapy such as cis-platin * Rarely, some of the SSRI antidepressants
There is also some evidence about combination's of medications being a co-factor in hearing disorders.
Posts: 125 | From US | Registered: Jul 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
When I was on the beginning of azithro therapy I had tinnitus and was worried allot.
At that time I was dead sick person walking so decided not to stop better alive with damaged ear than dead i thought.
I did not call for my LLMD advice cause I new it will be stop the azithro,and knowing deep in me that this is from dying bugs just continued with it.
And yes I was right after 2 weeks no more tinnitus and wired things from my ears.
That's my experience with you might be something else but i think you will no better than anybody else.
Take care
Posts: 482 | From Nebraska | Registered: Feb 2010
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Zith can be a harsh ride for anyone with tinnitus. It's best to find a different drug. Mino and Biaxin also caused many ear problems. All three are ototoxic to varying degrees and as to how well it can be tolerated - it all depends on the total toxic load. If that gets too high, ear damage can occur. Sometimes, that is reversible; sometimes, it is not.
If there are any non-essential drugs or OTC products are ototoxic that can dropped, that will help. Aspirin, acetaminophen are both toxic to the ears.
And - there can be some structural considerations. It's best to consult a LL neurotologist.
I know you've seen this thread before but you may want to refer back to some links - and others coming along might want to copy and save links to their reference files, too.
===========================
ALL EARS. Specifically for LYME patients - lots of details about ears and what can help:
� of the way down page one, there are lots of LIVER LINKS -as liver support helps the ears:
You can look inside this book and read customer reviews here:
Ototoxic Drugs Exposed: Prescription Drugs and Other Chemicals That Can (and Do) Damage Our Ears
- by Neil G. Bauman -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
quote:Originally posted by Maradona:
And yes I was right after 2 weeks no more tinnitus and wired things from my ears.
COOL!! Part of me wants to try Zith for a few weeks as I know the Biaxin I am on interacts a bit with the Rifabutin I'm starting tomorrow.
Maradona...did you have ear "zaps"?
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3139 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
| IP: Logged |
randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
is pain associated tinnitus?
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Randi, when tinnitus is due to nerve irritation &/or inflammation, yes, pain is often a feature of tinnitus. But, really, the pain would make the ear issues expand beyond "just" tinnitus. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I had this. My ears would be full and it felt like I couldn't hear the outside world and it was congested in my inner ear like claustophobia. Very uncomfortable. The only thing that worked for me was accupuncture and it worked probably totally relieved within a month. It's well worth it if you find the right accupuncturist.
Good luck!
Posts: 65 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2010
| IP: Logged |
bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
I started accupuncture 2 weeks ago. Going tomorrow am for follow up. My guy says he can help with the TMJ / TInnitus
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3139 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic