Ear problems or just plain anxiety?

[panictomuch]

So, i mentioned to the 2 different doctors along with my "anxiety" symptoms that my ears click and pop when i swallow and sound like they havve water in them sometimes. One had a look and said nothin obvious. One asled if i get itchin but i dont get that. So they just brushed it off and took no notice. One doctor also said all my symptoms dont match up so it sound like just stress. She also said i seem tense. I was tense because i was in the doctrs thinkin i had a tumor or something!! Ofcourse i was tense!!

Anyway, since then i have notice i get ringing in them and sometimes i feel quite abit of pressure. Not pain but pressure. I also get alot of ear wax but i havnt mentioned that to any doctor.

I dont know what to do because ive been to the doctors so much and they are guna just think 'you again, makin stuff up' that what i feel like everytime i go to the doctors.

I really cant see it bein ano anxiety problem but has anyone experience this??

Ive also had 3 episodes of what seemed like verrtigo (which can be causewd by a ear problem) but it was also like some kind of very pad panic attack!! I dont know whether the 'vertigo' brought on the panic attack though.

Much help appreciated as im losin my mind. Its all i think about. Evryone tells me i need to slow my life down and concentrate on one thing and stop stressin about things that arnt happenin. (Im even terrified and think alot about the world ending - im that bad) i alsways want things done. I dont seem to have patience.

Thank you

[lourah1989]

ANXIETY has so manyyyyyyyyyyyy symptoms you may by all means have somethink wrong with your ears but its highly un likley when you suffer from anxiety we always think the worst to every think ... i used to and still am convinced my heart is broken due to it constant fluttering ... its most likley because your reading in to it ... and people who dont now the true meaning of stress and anxiety will never now tbh its like you telling an anorexic to eat a kfc its just not going to happen ... hopethe ringing stops and u figure it out xx

[Gemma T]

Is it like a sticky popping that mainly plays up to sound?

I have this and my gp explained there is a pipe runnning from the nose to the ear and sometimes the pipe becomes blocked. When you hear things the valave opens and makes the sound. Mine comes and goes alot lately even though im not congested. Prob has alot to do with the fact that i dunk my head in a soapy bath. Might have clogged it with soap.

Hopefully this helps x x x

[andyf]

It might be worth having your ears syringed, a nurse could do this at your local doctors surgery. I know from past experiences a build up of wax in my ears or an ear infection can lead to dizzy spells and that can trigger panic when there's really nothing to worry about.

By the way, I can hear a 'click' that also sounds like a 'pop' in my ears when I swallow... I thought that was normal :unsure:

Andy

(http://www.overcome-anxiety-today.com/)

[kelly22]

Hi panictoomuch, I have the exact same problem! Have been to see ENT Specialist, they thought I could have menieres diease as i have bad dizzy "Whooshing" head spinning sensation, followed by the feeling of being on a boat, and all this along with the sheer force of a panic attack!! ENT couldn't find anything and so i am now left wondering if it is in fact the panic attack that is triggering the dizziness! Any ideas?

[Luna]

Yeah, me too. Although only on one side. I do get a lot of wax and had my ear syringed after losing all hearing on that side. I also get a swollen gland on my neck and a blocked nose on the same side.

It defiantly gets worse when I'm more stressed so I figure it's like my IBS but in my face : )

[panictomuch]

I gemma T. Ye its a sticky pop. Its always there and my ear'pop' very easy. When i feel my ear it feel very sticky too. I havent noticed if the poppin gets worse with sound but my ears are sensitive to loud noises. When my baby screams at the top of her voice or whatever my ears sound like they have water in them everytime!!

Andy. I have read the clicking is ormal for some people. I have been told by family memebers that i may just need them syrindged so maybe that is a definate option, thank you. And i have read about your ears causing dizzyness too :)

Kelly 22. Anxiety and panic does cause dizzyness, lightheadedness etc. It is actually said on this website. What do you mean by whoosing?

Yes them tests are done to find vertigo etc. I would like that done. Not onlt for my experiences of what i would say was vertigo but for my daily times where i just 'lose my balance' and stumble abit.

I dont see to lose my hearing. Well i might lose it the tiniest bit if there is a loud high pitched noise but i can still hear it just makes me pull my face alot and make my eyes water a bit tbh. Which i find very weird!

Thank you all
I think i need to get them looked at properly
It may just be my anxiety makin it alll seem worse. And now ive noticed it. I keep noticing it as this is what comes with anxiety.

[kelly22]

Hi Panictoomuch,

I just have general problems with my balance. I can be sitting watching tv and then i know i have to get up to get something from upstairs, and then i start to panic and worry. Then i feel a kind of heavy pressure (i call it whooshing) in my head and when i stand up i feel that i can't walk straight. When I have calmed myself down, i can manage to walk fine though, it only seems to happen when i think about it (i think it may have turned into a kind of phobia)! I have had all the balance tests and they can't find anything. I did have bad vertigo ten years ago and i think it has just developed into anxiety causing me to think that i can't walk. very weird!! Anyone else have this?

[panictomuch]

You get headruses like neall everytime you get up? I do. Ive only just noticed it though. It scares me abit and oe time all my vision went. I feel alot of pressure then too.

I dont get paniky when i have to get up but i do get scared and apaniky when i can feel it start. It can happen when m cleaning too. It doesnt stop me from doin what i doin but i might need to slow down and stop for a second to go 'wow'

The only time i get paniky is bedtime because everytime i am going to sleep i feel a spinning sensation. Im gettin used to it now but it still frightens me

[eight days a week]

Didn't your doctor put the scope in your ears to have a look? They can see if there's any wax build-up as well as check for other ear problems.

[panictomuch]

Yeah se had a look and said theres nothin obvious. This was months ago and its been gettin worse now. Thats why im wonderin if its anxiety

[kelly22]

Hi panictoomuch, just been to the Doctors and have explained all my symptoms. Hes really not sure whether it is anxiety causing the dizziness but wants me to have blood tests to eliminate other things! He has started me on Citalopram (10mg a day). I must admit that after reading the common side effects, i am a bit concerned about taking them! As anyone tried this medication? are the side effects common? do they work? I have to go back to the Docs in a few weeks, hopefully i will be feeling much better by then! (I can only hope) lol!

[Gemma T]

Im sure we have the same thing then. Its the valve that it is clogged and when opening it makes the sticky popping. There is nothing you can get for it. It will clear itself.

Mine comes and goes alot. When there are too many sounds going on my ear sounds like rushing water. I get it mainly in the left and sometimes on the right. My best advice is to ensure you clear your nose regularly to loosen the build up. Make sure your ears are clean and try not to get too much soap in them. I used to dunk my head in the bath when washing my hair and am pretty sure the soapy water has contributed to all the clogging.

Good luck x x x

[panictomuch]

Kelly22 what are your symptoms?? I had i think one side effect i think but it went after a few week. Im not on the sdame tablets as you though.

[kelly22]

Hi Panictomuch, I had a bad attack of vertigo about 10 years ago and it left me with severe anxiety, i lost a stone in weight in a month, couldn't eat, couldn't go anywhere, everything was constantly spinning (would NEVER want to live through that again!!!). It took a year to feel "normal" again although i did still suffer from the odd spinning sensation, like someone had spun me round a few times. Then after a car crash last July, it brought the spinning sensations back, every few hours it happened. When on holiday in august i got into the swimming pool for the first time in ages and had to get out as the movement of the water sent my head spinning, when i got out i couldn't walk straight for a few minutes and had to sit down! A year later (after a stressful couple of weeks at work), i tried to walk out of a meeting and found as soon as i stood up that the whole room was spinning and i couldnt walk. I had to go home and it took over an hour for the spinning to stop. After it has stopped it leaves me feeling unbalanced and i tend to walk to the left and lean to the left (its really weird!) Now, whenever i stand up, turn my head too quick, or think about it, i feel a rush (sudden pressure in my head), feel off balance and then walk to the left and struggle to walk straight! It feels as if i am looking at the floor and i am higher than i should be (it looks distorted) and i have a swimmy feeling in my head! Its so crap feeling like this and it happens all the time! Im just hoping it is anxiety and that my meds will start working soon. Have full blood tests booked for thursday as my Doc think i may be anemic as i dont eat any meat! (God that wud be funny if it came back as that)!!.
Well thats my life story!! lol
kelly

[panictomuch]

Hii
Oh right. Sorry to hear that. I couldn't cope!!
I have the same problem when I move my head fast. I'm scared to go to any fairs to go on rides and I wanna go!! I lose balance a lot and get a spinnin sensation when going to sleep. This started after my experience of 'vertigo' (not been diagnosed or anythin but its what I would describe as it. And just since then I get a headrush like everytime I stand up. I'm scared to go sleep.

Well ill start from the beginnin. As to where I think everythin got worse and it was all of a sudden. I think its started by my ocd but it graduakly got worse through pregnancy being tired with a baby etc.

Anyway, I remember colouring my hair and being really worried about havin a reaction to it (never have before) and I remember thinkin why am I thinkin this? Anyway, after, well, even during colouring my hair I remember feelin funny. Then about 6 hours later I was just sittin watchin tele and all of a sudden I had this rush through my body into my head. Got a headacje. Coloudnt breath. Went dizzy. Felt sick. My heart was beating and beating poundin. I remember thinkin am I havin some kind of panic attack!! Then I went to bed. Was ill for 2 days after that.

Then a couple weeks later I went to bed fine. Woke up at 6 when my partner woke for work felt fine. Went back to sleep. I then woke at 8 with a feelin of being shuck. Opened my eyes and the room was spinnin and my head felt really light and I was swaying. My hear was beating. I felt sick. I was sweatin. Shakin. Felt numb. Just really frightened. Couldn't breath!! I sat up and after a couple of seconds the spinnin stopped but I was still feelin sick etc. Went toilet. Ay back down and it started again. I then decided I will just sick up with my back in pillows for a while and calm down. Anyway, after half an hour I was sick and I felt abit better. But then I felt dizzy. Lightheaded. Scared. Sick. Extremely tired (actually slept during the day) for a week after. So ill infact I stayed in my pjs. Went doctors amd emergency. Was told anxiety and depression.
Everythin got worse since then. Every night I woke up with extreme shakin that I couldn't stop but I was sweatin. Felt I couldn't breath. My hjeart was beatin so fast. Was put on tablets and I stopped wakin in night and if I did I wouldn't shake and my heart wouldn't be pounding. Since then my eyesight is static and it frightens me.

I don't know whether my ocd has gradually made my anxiety and then having a baby has brought it out fully or its just not anxiety.

I remember I experienced the same kind of vertigo thing the night of having my baby. I was just lay there and all of a sudden my heart was pounding. Room spnnin. Eyesight funny. Weird etc but I never mentioned it (which I regret now) I remember my eyesight bein weird from then but not as bad as what it is now. It was just kind of really sensitive to light. It seemed to of got worse after my most recent 'vertigo' attack.

X

[kelly22]

Hi Panicto much, I can't believe how much your symptoms are the same as mine! My first attack of vertigo happened when i was dryin my hair with a hairdryer(my parents were on holiday and was really worried about them). I know how completely terrified it makes you when u feel that red hot rush through your body and head feels pressure, and everything spins and u need to rush to the toilet (i have the worst bad stomach!), u feel sick, u don't know whether to sit or stand, and you think you are dying. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy!
I found it worse after the birth of my son (three years ago) and was just starting to feel better, then a stressul couple of months at work has set it off again (i'm a teacher). I really feel when i look back through my life that my condition is very much stress related, thats why i hope that these meds will help, have only been on them for a few days and the Doc says it will take a few weeks to work, at least i havent had any bad side effects (they say that the can make you fel worse to start with but thank god i havent had this!).

I feel very anxious at night too! have u tried havin a baby night light in you room, sometimes its the dark that makes u feel disorientated, I have also found a ticking clock quite soothing. Also, i sleep with at least two massive pillows (i could never lie flat!). I have found that these things help me, maybe they are worth a try for u!

Have u found any medication that helps with the dizziness? I was given cinnerzarine, it does help but it takes ages to work!
I hope u are having a good day today. I try and live as much of a normal life as possible! have just been to see Cars 2 at the cinema, its a struggle but its one we must all keep fighting!
Take care.
kelly

[panictomuch]

Yes! The dark makes you feel worse! I have noticed that. So I'm not dieing then? Were fine?? I try fallin asleep with the television on it makes me feel better and fall asleep quicker and easier. Plus havin some nose helps too. I also sleep with 3 pillows. I'm basically sat up!! I do slip down but it still seems to help.

I went to the cinema not long agi and started to feel sick. I start to feel sick as soon as I'm on my way somewhere.


No sorry I haven't. My doctor hasn't even mentioned anything for my dizziness. Eventhough I was told to go and sit down and let my mum sort everythin out. I was that dizzy.

It must be stress but not just mentally. Physically aswel. My body must of been so exhaousted after havin my baby. Just totally drained. And its just set anxiety off etc. And because I didn't get help it has gotten worse to the point I HAD to go doctors

Does anyone else in your family suffer from vertigo or any of these problems?

[Dizzy_Dave]

The UK is so far behind the world when dealing with dizzyness. Do you know there's a condition with the eyes that gives us all dizzy feelings, affected by lighting, shopping mall problems etc? I mentioned it to my doc and he didn't have a clue, most of them are just that, clueless.

[carole123]

I have exactly the same . Had vertigo a couple of years ago. Its always on my mind so i think i cause the dizziness myself. Sometimes when i get up i get dizzy but like u say if im not thinking about it it doesnt happen . surely it must be just thoughts causing it?

[panictomuch]

No, what condition is this? My doctors don't seem to know anythin. I don't like going because I don't feel there's a point because I always just get brushed off and told I'm fine when I'm clearly not. Otherwise I wouldn't of been there, worried about all these sumptoms.

I do get lightheaded basically eveytime I get up. I have to concentrate on gettin up to make myself not go as dizzy. Once I lost my vision for a second. It really frightened me.

I do believe think about it too much eventually tells your brain your dizzy. Because I have been lay there and thought 'oh I don't feel dizzy YET! (I always say yet) and then bam, I get this rush I get.

My 'vertigo' experiences have just totally scared me and I'm constantly thinkin about my weird vision. Its a vicious cycle and it just guna get worse and worse without help. You need to break the cycle and eventually the symptoms will get better, start to go then gradually just go completely and one day you will just wake up and think I'm fine!
That's what I was told by a doctor and I'm trying my best to believe it. But it alwso fets worse with thinkin am I better yet? Why arnt I better yet? And thinkin. Ill wakew up better tomorrow etc.

I don't know. I start therapy soon. I want someone to tell me what happened when I think it was vertigo. No one seems to be listening when I tell them that. They just said it sound like anxiety. Stress etc.

They tell you to stop thinkin and relax but you can't. The more you relax, the more you think. The more you think. The worse you feel. Anyone else think this is right?

[kelly22]

Well folks, got my blood test results, everything came back as normal (thank goodness), so it must all be down to big bad anxiety! Have been on citralpram for 12 days now, had a bad morning yesterday, bad waves of panic every fifteen minutes, heart racing, chest felt like it was on fire! I have heard that these tablets can cause this, so maybe it just means that they are starting to work! Havent really had any other side effects except feeling really hot all the time! I havent really felt any better though! Hows everyone else doing?

[cwoz82]

Well, funny this. I have just been referred to ENT as i've had the exact same symptoms, the popping i've had for many many years and put it down to ear problems as a child as the dr tells me my ears are perfectly healthy. The Dr did initially diagnose Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, possibly meniere's disease but after 3 weeks of targetted medication that didn't work he referred me for further investigation, it is however my biggest fear at the moment that they'll just tell me it's anxiety related as clearly anxiety never goes away and most other things are treatable :mad:

[panictomuch]

Reat kelly 22. that's some reassurance for you?

My tablets arnt supposed to make you feel tired but the first 3 days I never felt so tired as was actually considering comin off them. I have to make an appointment next week for a check up as to how my tablets are doin. I'm not sure really though but I just know I'm scared of comin off them.

My ears are still doin what they do but think I'm just gettin used to it now! I'm plaNnin on goin back to the doctors about my belly aches I'm getiin. I'm in agony!!

Cwoz82 people do overcome anxiety. What symptoms do you get for vertigo? I'm worried about havin that :( the most worryin think I'm dealin with at the minute is my eyes. I just want it to go away!!

[kelly22]

What a crap time I had today! Went to a local fair over the park with my family. We had to walk for quite a way to get there and we had to walk down a slope, this is a major problem for me because things don't look right to my brain when i look at the slope! Then i start to panic and then i feel dizzy and start walking to the left, then i feel off balance and even more dizzy! I managed to get down the slope and round the fair but i felf awful, really panicky and unwell! I made myself walk around but then found myself worrying about getting back up the slope! Needless to say when i was walking back up the slope, i felt my head fill full of pressure and i felt so dizzy i had to sit down on a bench for awhile! I cant believe this happened, i felt so bad for my family who must think that i am going crazy! I cant believe that i am doing this to myself! Its pure crazy! I have a real phobia now of walking anywhere in case i get dizzy! AAARRRRR! Fourteen days on Citralpram and still dont feel any better!! Light at the the end of tunnel? Anyone?!!