OK Iām terrified of any test that could worsen my symptoms. So is the caloric test actually useful? If I were to skip it and do all other tests, would missing it affect the final diagnosis?
I was diagnosed with MAV eight years ago but due to a worsening of symptoms this past month Iām not sure if Iāve got something additional going on.
Most of the tests are done to see whether the problem is related to the ear. If all of the test results come back ānormal,ā then itās most likely not a problem with the ear.
You could ask whether the caloric test is really that useful or whether other tests can be done to rule out the ears as the problem. You could also read up on all of the tests on Dr. Hainās website; Iām sure he explains which ones are the most useful.
Thank you for the links!
Sputnik. Here I think weāve hitting on something of the cultural divides between the UK and UK or maybe itās as simple as the fact the UK is lagging way behind with vestibular stuff. Lack of interest, inclination and to a lesser extent funds maybe.
So, you are UK based like me, but youāve actually seen a rotary chair. Wow! My vestibular stuff started in 2003 so I avoided the Calorific Test (Phew! It was a close one though). Iāve heard of all those tests. Not really sure what half of them are for. Iāve had a couple, MRI with Enhanced Contrast and on one particularly High Resolution machine the neuro-oto insisted on. No contrast dye. No injections at all. No idea what that was all about. I was too ill at the time to even ask. Just did it. Iāve also had detailed hearing tests (to rule out Menieres I believe) - āthe Audiological Analysisā catered for I assume. Vaguely remember spending what seemed like hours in the dark in a soundproof booth wearing headphones on/off and then carrying reams of graph paper half-ways around the hospital. Got a feeling I did that all twice, two different occasions.
Iāve just speed read some of Dr Hainās material on all this testing and feel quite reassured much of it seems quite easily covered by what he charmingly calls āBedside Testingā and Iāve had quite a few of episodes of that (including many Dix Hallpike) both literally bedside and in a neurologistās consulting room. Helen
I donāt think the UK is lagging behind, but I feel doctors are pretty careful here when it comes to initiating tests.
I think itās a particular diagnostic approach and a focus on keeping costs under close control, even when dealing with a private client with insurance.
Some doctors seem to want to prescribe a hole gamut of tests, whereas I feel UK doctors like to follow a decision tree diagram very closely and explore a patients case more step by step.
Just as one swallow doesnāt make a Summer one personās experience cannot represent everybody elseās. With the two neurologists I saw they both seemed to go mostly on the detailed history taken route so they were more looking at the whole person. Like Vets they must work on the ācommon things are commonā theory. They look the patient up n down. In my case they see middle aged woman and even if they donāt mention it which neither did they must think āmenopauseā. The neuro-otologist was very keen on that enhanced MRI. He needed to check my ear channels he said and his main concern was there was more than one thing going on because I had several different types of vertigo he did say. If I been half my age and told him Iād dived into a swimming pool, stepped off a plane or had whiplash from a car accident, and then come out dizzy, maybe the reaction would have been completely different. Iād have been sent on to some Balance Facility somewhere else, Helen
Iām sure weāve had a similar conversation before but, after all those tests, didnāt they still misdiagnosed you a couple of times anyway. I wouldnāt suggest people didnāt have any tests their consultant suggested but as thereās no definite test for MAV we mustnāt expect miracles.
Dr Hainās website is such a source of information. Thanks Anna for pointing out the testing articles Iāve never even bothered to look for them before. Fascinating. Trouble is following some conditions through even if you find you have it thereās no fix. So in one way it might not prove any great help. Helen
i experienced nothing from caloric testing, no good or bad effects, nothing.
Hi All,
So I had a VNG caloric test this past Monday (probably worst medical test Iāve ever experienced) and I have to say Iām still feeling pretty off. I havenāt had any rotational vertigo episodes (except during the test, which was expected).
I just feel like the progress I was making over the last couple of weeks has gone down the toilet.
I read a few posts where people said it took a day or two to feel better, but Iām feeling extra crappy. Iām not sure if itās anxiety or what.
I also traveled (quick 1.5 hour flight) the day before and after to see this specialist so perhaps between that and the actual testing day, my brain is just not pleased right now? The flights werenāt bad; it was the airports that had me feeling pretty terrible.
Any thoughts or advice? Just looking for a little reassurance that things will calm down soon.
Thank you for any help.
I was administered a VNG test about 3 years ago. The results were inconclusive. The ENT wanted me to do a test on an inversion table, but I wouldnāt do it because I feared passing out or hurling.
Hi,
So sorry to hear you went through that horrible test for inconclusive results. I hope you never have to go through that again. An inversion table would just be a hard ānoā with that test.
I lasted about 8 seconds when the actual true rotary vertigo started with the Caloric testing and I told her to stop almost immediately. It was terrible but short lived and so a āCould not tolerateā result was the answer to this one for meā¦. Donāt panic they will stop whenever youāre too uncomfortable. 