Ear symptoms in only one ear?

Question for those who have ear fullness and hyperacusis… My hyperacusis is limited to only one ear. I have bilateral tinnitus, and I have eustachian tube dysfunction in the opposite ear. Is it possible to have VM and have ear symptoms that present in only one ear? I have had a Menieres diagnosis in the past, but that has been disputed over the years due to some of my symptoms not adding up to Menieres. My tinnitus was bilateral from day one. Menieres patients are generally not bilateral from the start. I have never had rotational vertigo, but rather extreme light headedness that is constant, not episodic . I have hearing loss, but not the kind typically associated with Menieres. Mine is a cookie bite pattern with a symmetrical mid frequency loss in both ears. Where it gets confusing is that I have positive ECOG tests which are usually diagnostic of Menieres. I am at a loss as to if VM could only affect one ear being that migraine originates in the brain. Any thoughts or experiences would be appreciated.

Hi Tootlebug,

You can absolutely have migraine symptoms in only one ear (or primarily in one ear). I have! Ear symptoms, in the right ear, were the main symptom of a relapse I had in late 2011. Ear fullness/pressure, tinnitus (of the humming variety) and pain. And rotational vertigo (yuck!).

Keep in mind the etymology of the word ‘migraine’, it means ‘half head’. It is entirely ‘normal’ for migraine symptoms to appear on one side. My scintillating scotomas for example were for 20 years only present in the right eye (now it’s both, had a ripper of a scintillating scotoma a couple of days ago).

Vic

Hi Tootlebug,

I have the hyperacusis and ear fullness mostly in the left ear, that was the ear that was diagnosed with 54%parasis with the calorics test and when I put the phone up to that ear the hearing is not as loud and doesnt sound the same as the right ear. The right ear is the one with drum sucked in (so I am learning this is something to do with Eustachian tube disfunctionl). They are continuously seeing fluid behind my eardrum, the middle ear this time. I have tinnitus in both ears but mostly in the right ear. I do get full blown severe vertigo attacks. Like you, I had a positive ECOG test. They told me I had menieres, then endolymphatic hydrops (not much difference, fluid in the inner ear). I kept going back and forth to different hospitals, more ear tests, being told it wasnt menieres, it was menieres, then it was an inner ear lesion, eventually I was diagnosed with vestibular migraine.

I had car sickness as a child, and zig zag lines that Victoria talks about as a teenager, but I had what I thought were “headaches”. Into my 20s I got full blown migraines that would last 3 days. So I have both ear trouble and migraine.

Christine

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Is it possible to have VM and have ear symptoms that present in only one ear? .

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Totally! It’s always my right ear, never had any problems with the other one at all. These last couple of months everything’s been concentrated on my right ear - sharp pains, dull ache, fullness, clicking noises, occasional tinnitus and even nausea. In fact, I’ve referred to it as a migraine in my ear because at times that’s exactly what it feels like, as if the headache has slipped around from my above my right eye, where they always used to be years ago, to my ear. The cold weather we’ve had here recently has played havoc with it too.

And not sure if its related to ‘ear stuff’ particularly or not or just VM in general but the last couple of weeks I’ve had trouble again lying down to sleep. Am sitting more or less upright again to sleep and can’t turn any way without getting dizzy. Past experience tells me it’ll be self limiting but it’s not nice at all! :frowning:

Brenda

I have your exact problem. i only have issues with my right ear and i am sure i have eustation dysfuntion as my ears get clogged up if i blow nose or if i do valsalva. its like the air cant escape out of that ear and so it clogs and then gives me all these trouble: dizzienss, headfullness, ear fullness. i too have normal ecog and normal vemp. i did test postive for rotational chair. its hard for me to think this is VM when it feels like my ear is the problem. but i just dont know anymore. i do have headaches a lot.

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— Begin quote from “Tootlebug”

Is it possible to have VM and have ear symptoms that present in only one ear? .

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Totally! It’s always my right ear, never had any problems with the other one at all. These last couple of months everything’s been concentrated on my right ear - sharp pains, dull ache, fullness, clicking noises, occasional tinnitus and even nausea. In fact, I’ve referred to it as a migraine in my ear because at times that’s exactly what it feels like, as if the headache has slipped around from my above my right eye, where they always used to be years ago, to my ear. The cold weather we’ve had here recently has played havoc with it too.

And not sure if its related to ‘ear stuff’ particularly or not or just VM in general but the last couple of weeks I’ve had trouble again lying down to sleep. Am sitting more or less upright again to sleep and can’t turn any way without getting dizzy. Past experience tells me it’ll be self limiting but it’s not nice at all! :frowning:

Brenda

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brenda, i am having the exact same problems! its good to know i am not alone. i feel so alone. i wish i had all you here so we could feel more comforted that its ok. none of my friends understand. :frowning:

— Begin quote from “Notchoma”

I have your exact problem. i only have issues with my right ear and i am sure i have eustation dysfuntion as my ears get clogged up if i blow nose or if i do valsalva. its like the air cant escape out of that ear and so it clogs and then gives me all these trouble: dizzienss, headfullness, ear fullness. i too have normal ecog and normal vemp. i did test postive for rotational chair. its hard for me to think this is VM when it feels like my ear is the problem. but i just dont know anymore. i do have headaches a lot.

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The headfullness, ear fullness, stabbing pain, is sometimes so cruel that it sometimes also makes me think the ear is the problem.
It has a life on it’s own!!
I also get headaches a lot, must be a connection.

No friends don’t understand unfortunately :frowning:
They just look at you and are like ‘what are you complaining about’.

— Begin quote from “Notchoma”

— Begin quote from “Brenda”

— Begin quote from “Tootlebug”

Is it possible to have VM and have ear symptoms that present in only one ear? .

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Brenda
brenda, i am having the exact same problems! its good to know i am not alone. i feel so alone. i wish i had all you here so we could feel more comforted that its ok. none of my friends understand. :frowning:

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I totally get what you’re saying Notchoma. Although I’ve had this for a long time now, and have come to terms with it (of sorts, anyway!) I still like to come here and find comfort and reassurance in knowing I’m not alone. It means a lot, doesn’t it?

Brenda