Comments on: My vestibular loss is bilateral, not unilateral. http://vertigoguy.com/my-vestibular-loss-is-bilateral-not-unilateral/ My experiences with vertigo, disequilibrium, balance, dizziness and anxiety. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:56:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Jim http://vertigoguy.com/my-vestibular-loss-is-bilateral-not-unilateral/comment-page-1/#comment-2983 Jim Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:58:43 +0000 http://vertigoguy.com/?p=47#comment-2983 I'm not a doctor or anything, but I have read more than I should about vestibular injury, compensation, and rehabilitation, I certainly don't have all the answers otherwise I wouldn't be sat here with a less than full life some 10 years after my original problem. I will say that a therapists exam isn't in ANY way diagnostic. What your'e describing here is that you get nystagmus in moving each direction, well considering that both ears work in all directions it really isn't diagnostic of anything... infact you said ENG/Calorics was within normal ranges - which isn't suprising as that's the case in over 60% of patients with vestibular dysfunction (these test only test part of the ear, and only test quantity of signal, not quality and are very inaccurate (ie they are the equivelent of a doctor holding up 3 fingers, and getting you to say how many you see - if you get it wrong, then there is obviosuly something wrong, but just because you can count the fingers doesn't mean you can see perfectly!) . The only way to truly diagnose bilateral loss is using rotation chair testing (which most people don't have access to). I'm not saying this to worry you or concern you - as unilateral or bilateral loss is compensated in the same way.... Anyway, I digress, my original point was that therapists are trained to do this test for bppv, which as that often affects just a single canal is often diagnostic as to which side is causing the issue, with a vestibular injury then it's not the case, as the ears respond in all directions, and you must be aware that with nystagmus, you're not looking at the issue directly, but at the brains response to try and interpret movement through a faulty vestibular system. I’m not a doctor or anything, but I have read more than I should about vestibular injury, compensation, and rehabilitation, I certainly don’t have all the answers otherwise I wouldn’t be sat here with a less than full life some 10 years after my original problem. I will say that a therapists exam isn’t in ANY way diagnostic. What your’e describing here is that you get nystagmus in moving each direction, well considering that both ears work in all directions it really isn’t diagnostic of anything… infact you said ENG/Calorics was within normal ranges – which isn’t suprising as that’s the case in over 60% of patients with vestibular dysfunction (these test only test part of the ear, and only test quantity of signal, not quality and are very inaccurate (ie they are the equivelent of a doctor holding up 3 fingers, and getting you to say how many you see – if you get it wrong, then there is obviosuly something wrong, but just because you can count the fingers doesn’t mean you can see perfectly!) . The only way to truly diagnose bilateral loss is using rotation chair testing (which most people don’t have access to). I’m not saying this to worry you or concern you – as unilateral or bilateral loss is compensated in the same way….

Anyway, I digress, my original point was that therapists are trained to do this test for bppv, which as that often affects just a single canal is often diagnostic as to which side is causing the issue, with a vestibular injury then it’s not the case, as the ears respond in all directions, and you must be aware that with nystagmus, you’re not looking at the issue directly, but at the brains response to try and interpret movement through a faulty vestibular system.

]]> By: Vertigo Guy http://vertigoguy.com/my-vestibular-loss-is-bilateral-not-unilateral/comment-page-1/#comment-226 Vertigo Guy Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:07:35 +0000 http://vertigoguy.com/?p=47#comment-226 Thanks Tonia... I am definitely not happy to hear it's both ears that are damaged, but it is great to have a clearer diagnosis for sure. I'll be honest, the VRT will probably make you feel worse at first. But give it a few weeks, and you should start to feel some improvement. And that's what it's really all about. For me, even have a therapist that actually understands what I'm going through is so great. They know how awful you feel, and will tailor your exercises to push you, but not to the point where you feel totally terrible. I hope your VRT appointment went well -- I hope you'll leave another comment to let me know how it went. :) Thanks Tonia… I am definitely not happy to hear it’s both ears that are damaged, but it is great to have a clearer diagnosis for sure.

I’ll be honest, the VRT will probably make you feel worse at first. But give it a few weeks, and you should start to feel some improvement. And that’s what it’s really all about. For me, even have a therapist that actually understands what I’m going through is so great. They know how awful you feel, and will tailor your exercises to push you, but not to the point where you feel totally terrible.

I hope your VRT appointment went well — I hope you’ll leave another comment to let me know how it went. :)

]]> By: tonia http://vertigoguy.com/my-vestibular-loss-is-bilateral-not-unilateral/comment-page-1/#comment-210 tonia Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:49:07 +0000 http://vertigoguy.com/?p=47#comment-210 Hi again! Sorry to hear that the damage is in both ears. But it's good that you have a more clear diagnosis. Thanks for sharing your experiences here. I'm really dreading my VRT appointment this Wednesday. I know that I need to do the VRT, but I'm so afraid of it making me feel worse. Ughh. Hope you see some improvements real soon!! :) Hi again!
Sorry to hear that the damage is in both ears. But it’s good that you have a more clear diagnosis. Thanks for sharing your experiences here. I’m really dreading my VRT appointment this Wednesday. I know that I need to do the VRT, but I’m so afraid of it making me feel worse. Ughh.

Hope you see some improvements real soon!! :)

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