Hi--You sound alot like me! I have been diagnosed with MM. But I also have a history going back more than 10years of migraines. I have read somewhere (don't quote me!) that around 50% of people with MM also suffer with migraines. I believe for it to actually be MAV the vertigo must be caused by the migraine and doesn't necessarily mean you get the headache. I'm sure some MAV people will be along to answer you but MAV can cause hearing loss, fullness and ringing. But usually it affects both ears and the loss is not progressive over time. Oddly I have not had any of my usual migraines since getting MM back in Dec. They were many times brought on by stress and this MM crap has been about the most stressful stuff ever! I have also had BPPV. It is brought on by a change in head position but the spinning lasts only about 1 minutes or less. Your doctor can easily diagnose it by the Dix-something manuver. They put your head in different positions and check for a certain eye movement. There seems to be some belief that MM can cause BPPV also. Many here also have BPPV as well as MM but not all. Margie
I only have MM so I can't answer your questions, but will be interested in hearing from those who answer you - those people who have multiple vestibular disorders. I have heard a couple of people say that their MM causes attacks so many times, and their SCD causes attacks these times, or maybe MAV is the cause of this attack, and MM causes another attack - how do you'all know which is causing what? Can you tell by the trigger, or the kind of attack? This info might be helpful to others, like Mysterious & those still seeking a dx. For me it is just curiosity and wanting to better educate myself about all vestibular disorders.
I have mav, here is a site with alot of reading about it www.mvertigo.org I have a family history of migraine but not the type I've got. My mother suffered from the classic migraine. Mine started when my hormones went nuts. The symptoms of mm and mav are pretty close. The only difference is the hearing loss is not as bad from what I've read. Before the only way Drs could tell the difference was the hearing loss off mm vs mav. Now they are rethinking this due to vestibular migraine. I have dizziness when I change positions so you can have pretty much have all the same symptoms. The only way I really found my dx was to start the migraine diet and see if those foods triggered me, sure enough they did. I wanted to add that bppv as a vestibular cause is due to crystals in the ear that get moved out of place. In mav bppv is due to the pinching of inflammed blood vessels. These vessels become swollen durning symptoms it can give you that full feeling in your head and can extend down your neck and into your upper back and shoulders.
Hi Mar, I think this is a good site to visit...http://www.meei.harvard.edu/patient/rauch.php If you scroll down, and click on any of the video clips, each topic is explained. It will also explain why your Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy made you worse (which it IS suppose to do). I was dx with Atypical MM (being that I never had fullness) and then dx with BPPV. Hearing loss is not a symptom of BPPV. (my hearing loss is minimal and from loud music). I do know that if a crystal is dislodged, that it CAN cause true vertigo for hrs, even days...until it breaks up or moves in the canal of your ear. This is what happened to me and it caused my dizziness/woozy feeling I had for over a year. It would move but not to where it belonged!! I was dizzy every damn day and woozie. VRT is what helped me and YES...it was total hell to go through. I'm only being honest because I too wanted to give up because I was SOOOO much worse before I got better...and that took 6 weeks of continuous therapy...at home and at the facility. I did it only because I had a great therapist that convinced me to keep going. Thank God she did. Looking back, I know I would have quit if it weren't for her. All I can suggest is that you keep a log and talk to your dr. If you aren't getting any answers, find another dr!! There are many that ARE caring and helpful out there. Remember that we are all different and we are not doctors. If you go to the Data base here it is filled with information and other sites to check out. Good Luck to you!! Bergie
I have MAV and cervicogenic vertigo. I do not have MM or BPPV. There is a large history of migraine in my family, all without headache. I originally had the atypical migraines with headaches starting in my 30,s usually period related, throbbing headache that would last three days. these started at the same time perimenopause kicked in. Vertigo back then was a part of my aura so would only last an hour at most. Three and a half years ago, the headaches stopped and were replaced by MAV symptoms. Now when I get a migraine the aura is hearing loss and increased volume of tinnitus. These symptoms are short lived. I have a feeling of fullness in my ears all the time. the vertigo now comes after the signs of a migraine and can last for hours or days at a time. Chronic imbalance or disequilibrium goes on for weeks after that. Tinnitus was also present all the time but has dissapated somewhat since I have been on Neurontin. I do not feel anywhere near normal most of the time. I have very few respites which I can only attribute to stable weather patterns. the drugs help to lessen the intensity of my symptoms but have never gotten rid of it completely. The cervicogenic vertigo is very similar to BPPV but is caused by some problems with my neck and thoracic spinal area from a car accident I had two decades ago plus a recent head trauma that preceeded my neck problem reactivating several years ago. I have chronic neck pain every day now. Been through all the common modalities to treat it, muscle relaxers, antiinflammatories, physical therapy, massage, chiropractic but to no avail. will be going through all the testing again for my neck, in the next few months again. Docs want to try trigger point injections or botox to see if that stops it. I don't get the vertigo as much from my neck as I use to unless I lose any range of motion in it. When that happens, if I turn my neck, my vision goes wacky and I typically just fall over. Cervical vertigo can cause a feeling of pressure in your ear, positional vertigo but no hearing loss. I do have low frequency and high frequeny hearing loss but it is mild and hasn't progressed all that much over the years. That is why MM was ruled out in my case.
Bergie, Where has that video link been??? Just watching ONE video is really going to help me and my neuro - the one about MAV. Thank you SOOOOO much for sharing that!!!
It was recently brought back here ...one of the posts, can't remember who or where. Its also in our database here at Org. YW!!
