How can I overcome a vestibular balance problem due to ear surgery?

Question

I do not have vertigo but I have implants in the middle ears.

Answer 1

Although 28 million Americans suffer from hearing loss, 80 percent of them shun hearing aids partly because, well, the devices don't have a reputation as the most attractive or comfortable or even effective accessory.

But a new generation of hearing devices -- called middle ear implants -- may help the hearing impaired while keeping embarrassment and irritation to a minimum.

The implants are made for people with sensorineural hearing loss – a very common form of hearing loss that results from inner ear or nerve damage.

Middle ear implants are a category of devices that are still fairly new and are used with a subgroup of people who have tried hearing aids and are dissatisfied.

The vestibular balance problems you have might be caused by fluid in the middle or inner ear. such as in Meniere's disease or infection in the middle ear or Otitis Media.


Meniere’s Disease: A broad term covering a variety of symptoms caused by excessive fluid in the inner ear which impact the balance and sometimes also the hearing system. The cause of Meniere’s is not known, but is thought to involve viruses, allergies, circulation problems, or physical trauma. It can affect hearing in one or both ears.


In general, middle ear implants are attached to the middle ear bones to enhance their vibration. This amplifies nerve impulses to the brain, increasing hearing ability. But all devices currently available also use an external component -- a small sound processor, much like a microphone, that usually is worn behind the ear.

The external device enhances the sound because it's "capable of being programmed" so small changes in hearing or listening can be adjusted.

Vestibular rehabilitation by a specially trained therapist has been proven to be extremely useful in speeding recovery and improving balance.

Physical Therapy
Often, the balance system has been permanently damaged by the vertigo attacks from Meniere’s. This creates a chronic sensation of imbalance or lightheadedness. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy has been proven to be highly effective in relieving these symptoms by improving the central balance system (within the brain). A specific program is designed to improve the weaknesses of your balance system, which may include problems with vision, proprioception, and vestibular input. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy is often combined with other therapeutic modalities such as medications, allergy immunotherapy, or surgery. Low sodium diets; less than 2 Gm sodium diet and potassium-sparring diuretics and vestibular suppressants can help. Keep your ears clean esp after showering to avoid infections or retaining fluid in the middle ear.

Differential Diagnosis of Vertigo:

Dizziness and vertigo are common disorders. Dizziness can be defined as a sensation of being off balance. Vertigo is more specific and refers to a sensation of movement (usually spinning) of the individual or their surrounding. Dizziness can be secondary to neurological, cardiac, metabolic, psychiatric, vestibular, or other disorders.

Vertigo is usually secondary to dysfunction of the peripheral vestibular system, which includes five paired organs - the horizontal, superior, and posterior semicircular canals - which sense angular acceleration, and the utricle and saccule - which sense horizontal and vertical acceleration, respectively.



I had a hard time trying to open PDF on vestibular balance problems; so this is the best I could find. You can go on to obtain more info: www.audiologyonline.com.

The following are causes:

Benign Positional Paroxysmal Vertigo(BPPV) which involves quick movements of the head e.g. rolling out off bed; ; Vestibular Neuronitis (VN) or Labyrinthitis due to mostly viral infections of the vestibular system. Half of the cases came from a recent URI (upper resp infections), Meniere's Disease (MD) or Perilympathic fistula.(PF).


Other causes of vertigo and imbalance are acute and chronic otitis media, cholesteatoma, acoustic neuroma, migraine, intracranial pathology and others. Correctly diagnosing the various causes of vertigo is important, because serious, potentially life – threatening diseases such as acoustic neuroma, and cerebral vascular disease can exist. In many cases of vertigo and imbalance, further testing and magnetic resonance imaging are necessary to reach the correct diagnosis.

Answer 2

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