ringing ear

[helenclaire]

I have had a ringing in my left ear for nearly a week and its driving me mad.

It comes and goes through out the day from a low ring to a high pitched one.
I have been warned not to google it as I will read things that will make me even more anxious.
Of course this in its self is telling me this could be a symptom of something serious.
I have also been getting a off balance feeling for some time as well which is making me think of a brain tumour.
Does anyone else ever get this?

[Kuatir]

From this site:

In your Ears, Ringing

What you feel:

You hear a ringing or low rumbling in one or both ears. And when things are quiet, these sounds are a lot louder. You may also experience something like a plugged ear or fullness in one or both ears. The condition seems to come and go, however, when it comes it may last a long time. Sometimes, it only affects only one ear, and the same one over and over again.

Muscles become taut straining , can temporarily affect the balance architecture within the ear leading to further dizziness.

What causes this:

The ear is a very complex organ and is made up of a very complex system of nerves, muscles and bones. These are all intricately related to provide sound and balance information to the brain. While the exact cause of this symptom is unknown, it is quite common. Some people have been diagnosed with Meniere's Disease or Vertigo, but the medication provided produced no change. It was interesting to notice that when a few were given a tranquilliser, their ear problems cleared up.

Dizziness or light-headedness

What you feel:

You feel suddenly light-headed, woozy or dizzy. This is sometimes accompaniedby a feeling that you might faint or pass out. It also may feel as though youare walking on a boat, or that the floor seems to move up and down and it's hardto balance. You may also have difficulty placing your feet because yourperception of the ground or floor may be wrong. In some cases it may seem thateven though you are standing on a firm floor, the floor may be vibrating ormoving.

This is a very common feeling that most sufferers get. It's usually as a result of hyperventilation but also of intense fear and the adrenalin hit.

Feeling faint is very worrying and very frightening. You feel as though you are going to pass out or the whole world seems to be spinning and you cannot focus on anything. Your vision is blurred and this causes more Panic as you are now 'sure' that you will pass out or collapse.

Even when you convince yourself that you will not faint, the feeling of un-steadiness or dizziness remains. This feeling can go on for minutes or hours and there seems to be no end to it.

What causes this:

This symptom has a few variations. Some people may experience a sudden head rush feeling, which goes almost as quickly as it comes. As long as the individual doesn't react with more fear, the symptom will come and go and will vary in frequency from a number of times per day, to a few times a month.

Another variation includes a constant state of unbalance, spinning, wooziness, fogginess and so on. Often it is accompanied by a feeling that you may pass out (some people do, however, that's not common).

This symptom has a few causes. It could be from a blood sugar imbalance, hyperventilation (not getting enough oxygen) or an inner ear or ear pressure condition.

This is a common symptom and sometimes an individual can experience both forms, and at different times.

There are tests available that can accurately identify a blood sugar imbalance, however, most often this isn't the main cause. Typically, those with anxiety disorder have their blood sugar levels within the safe range when tested. However, long periods without eating may aggravate the condition because blood sugar levels may drop too low because of not eating. It's important to eat regular wholesome and natural food so that the fluctuations in blood sugar remain in the normal range.

If you are experiencing this symptom, having medical tests may be beneficial – certainly, to rule out any other cause.

If your symptom is a result of hyperventilation, deliberately deep slow breathing will reduce and even eliminate this symptom. While deep relaxation will help to diminish and eliminate most symptoms, I found that this symptom is one that hangs on the longest, and is the least responsive to immediate counter action. However, regular exercise provided me with results though not immediate.

Try to steady your breathing and sit quietly somewhere so that you can concentrate on it. The more you Panic and worry, the worse you will feel.
Try to occupy and distract your mind with something so you don't focus on the dizziness and if necessary sit down for a while to help get your balance back.
As with all symptoms, when the nervous system gets sufficient rest, this symptom will diminish and eventually subside.

[KeeKee]

If your ear feels dodgy and you're getting dizzy it could be an ear infection. My daughter had this last year (although she didn't get ringing ears hers was more of a blocked feeling), no antibiotics required as the GP said it usually clears on it own which it did. Took a few weeks for the dizziness to subside.