Vestibular disorder symptoms I have experienced

I came across an interesting website for an organization called VEDA (VEstibular Disorder Association).  I found this list of possible symptoms that is very interesting.

Image copied from “vestibular system.” Online Art. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 23 Jan. 2008
Here is an explanation of the Vestibular system.

I did not initially place all these symptoms into the same category (i.e. having to do with my hearing), but maybe I should have??? I exctracted the whole list and will excempt (a strikethrough line) those not experienced by me. If commented, the comment has been marked like this.

This list was a revelation to me… It all fits, kind of… Seems it connects to the wiring of the vestibulo-cochlear nerve: the nerve that carries information from the inner ear to the brain. Also called the eighth cranial nerve, auditory nerve, or acoustic nerve. If the “recruitment”-theory in my previous article holds water, the information about these symptoms could also have some bearing on the subject of my condition.

Vision

• Trouble focusing or tracking objects with the eyes; objects or words on a page seem to jump, bounce, float, or blur or may appear doubled
• Discomfort from busy visual environments such as traffic, crowds, stores, and patterns.
• Sensitivity to light, glare, and moving or flickering lights; fluorescent lights may be especially troublesome Very much so!
• Tendency to focus on nearby objects; increased discomfort when focusing at a distance
• Increased night blindness; difficulty walking in the dark Yes, have to find walls or points of support in order to be able to move, get a complete feeling of immediate disorientation
• Poor depth perception

Hearing

• Hearing loss; distorted or fluctuating hearing Well, that’s not exactly news…
• Tinnitus (ringing, roaring, buzzing, whooshing, or other noises in the ear) Very much so!
• Sensitivity to loud noises or environments Especially high pitch like childrens voices
• Sudden loud sounds may increase symptoms of vertigo, dizziness, or imbalance Yes!

 

Cognitive and psychological

• Difficulty concentrating and paying attention; easily distracted Quite so, at times
• Forgetfulness and short-term memory lapses Difficult to be certain, but I would say so
• Confusion, disorientation, difficulty comprehending directions or instructions Yes, but a little better now
• Difficulty following speakers in conversations, meetings, etc., especially when there is background noise or movement Oh, yes, totally impossible for me
• Mental and/or physical fatigue out of proportion to activity YES!
• Loss of self-reliance, self-confidence, self-esteem To some extent, but psychology therapy helps
• Anxiety, panic A few occasions, but not for some time now
• Depression Somewhat, but certainly not severe, luckily!

Other

• Nausea or vomiting
• “Hangover” or “seasick” feeling in the head A lot of this, but improved after I “slowed down the pace” (stopped working)
• Motion sickness
• Ear pain Yes, when I still listened to music
• Sensation of fullness in the ears Like they where stuffed with fluids, yes…
• Headaches A lot of that, and still prone to…
• Slurred speech Not much, but have noticed that I have to concentrate more on my speech lately
• Sensitivity to pressure or temperature changes and wind currents Have a tendency to get “weather sick”, yes, would say so…

I have to add that on several occasions I had trouble going down staircases. I suddenly get this this “wooden leg” and almost trips. Never had this before, but now I’m not walking down stairs without holding on to the rails. I guess this is a combination of very mild vision disturbance (sudden change of depth and altitude/distance), my deteriorating knees (I seek medical assistane on those now) and a vertigo/balance issue caused by whatever is happening in the vicinity of my vestibula…

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