I should start by introducing myself. I am a Dizzy and like many of you on this site I have always had problems with my inner ears. I had viral labs twice last year and twice the year before that. I still have some residual things that affect my balance. Sometimes upon waking I feel a spinning sensation. It lasts maybe a few seconds and then everything is fine. Sometimes when I am traveling I have a sensation of movement even if the vehicle is stopped.

Lately I've noticed something REALLY STRANGE and I was wondering if anyone had the same problem or knew what this might mean. I was watching my sister play Guitar Hero (and before you click away, hear me out, please!), watching the screen intently as each note was played. For those of you who haven't seen guitar hero in action, it's a huge guitar neck that moves along as you play the notes and it like looking at an escalator that is going away from you perpendicularly. At any rate, after I finish watching, the TV and all other things KEEP MOVING forward in the same motion as the game for a good few minutes. I have to close my eyes and refocus on something in the room to make it stop.

What could this be? It's gotten me quite worried that I have some kind of a brain tumor. I know it's silly but no one else around me has this problem. Any one know what this is?

Sensitivity to visual motin stimuli is COMMON in vestibular disorders. That's because the brain ues visual information as a cue for balance. When other balance cues (inner ear, somatosensation) are faulty, visual motion stimulu can trick the brain into thinking you are moving, leading to symptoms. Fast action on TV or movie screen, scrolling computer screen, large groups of people moing about, passing traffic or trains are common triggers.

Note - "labs" does not recur over and over. Consider consulting with a neurotologist.

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This message is the author's personal opinion only and should not be considered as an official statement of Ear, Nose and Throat Associates, P.C.. The author is not a physician. Always seek competent medical advice before starting any medical treatment.
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Thomas E. Boismier, MPH
Director, ENT Balance Center
a division of Ear, Nose and Throat Associates, P.C.
10021 Dupont Circle Court
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825
USA
260-426-8117, option 4

http://www.entfw.com/

Thank you for the quick reply. I did go to a specialist (an ENT who specializes in balance disorders) each time I had labs. I took a VRT and it did determine each time that it was my inner ear causing the problems. He told me that it was labs each time and when I asked if I should be concerned about repeated "attacks", he said that it is quite common for some people to be prone to labs. He said that many people experience recurrences within a few years of an initial attack. He basically said that I was just one of the unlucky people and not his only patient (by far) with the same problem. He was 100% positive that I had labs. He did say that it was not a chronic condition and that I simply got viruses that attacked my inner each time. Everything I have read on the subject concurs with this information and I have spoken to dozens of people who have "dizzy" attacks many times a year and they have all been told the same thing.

Are you saying, I should not trust this diagnosis? The doctor I saw seemed quite knowledgeable and thorough. I have not had a CAT Scan or MRI but I have no reason to do so now since I have not had any acute attacks of vertigo (like I did last year so what I mean by acute is something that lasts for more than a few seconds upon waking and honestly I feel this is me being a nervous Nelly and I could almost chalk it up to psychosomatic response to the fear of getting labs again). With this in mind do you still think I may have something more serious that needs to be examined closer?

The strict, formal definition of labirinthitis is a single, disabling attack of vertigo lsting 1 to 5 days accomapnie by sudden, permanent hearing loss in the affected ear. Using the strict definition, less than 5% of labyrinthitis patients ever experience a second attack, usually within 4 weeks of the first. Many doctors use a less-strict definition that sometimes seems to include any and all spontaneous vertigo with positive vestibular test results. the problem is that other disorders can "hide" within this less-strict definition, most commonly migraine and Meniere's.

Info on the strict definitions here:

http://www.american-hearing.org/diso..._neuritis.html

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This message is the author's personal opinion only and should not be considered as an official statement of Ear, Nose and Throat Associates, P.C.. The author is not a physician. Always seek competent medical advice before starting any medical treatment.
-------

Thomas E. Boismier, MPH
Director, ENT Balance Center
a division of Ear, Nose and Throat Associates, P.C.
10021 Dupont Circle Court
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825
USA
260-426-8117, option 4

http://www.entfw.com/

Thank you, Tom. I am always looking for Websites with more info. about this. I don't think I have Meniere's since when I mentioned this to my doctor he said it was not even a remote possibility. I don't have any hearing loss what-so-ever (my hearing is actually above average). At the time of the attacks I had only slight tinnitus that lasted maybe a few minutes which was almost imperceptible and only minor fullness in the ears.

I tend to just get labs. once in a while and it comes one morning and lasts for five days (last year I had it twice occurring within the same month (I got better within five days each time). He put me on antibiotics for the second attack and a low dose of steroids (which actually made the second attack last only three days instead of five). Given that steroids reduce inflammation, I think it is fairly logical to assume that the dizziness was indeed caused by inflammation of the inner ear (most likely related to viral labs).

I know the medical community (and I'm not criticizing, I'm merely observing) generally has these strict rules for illnesses but I've studied quite a few medical issues and I've found that these strict definitions usually do not take into consideration the uniqueness of each situation. Especially when it relates to matters for which we do not have comprehensive data (such as the inner ear which doesn't even show up in entirety using the most modern imaging equipment). I also feel that we often take the most obvious of cases (without studying the anomalies close enough) and apply blanket rules that don't explain or cover the all the possibilities. Being a computer scientist, myself, I understand the compulsion to tie things up in a neat package and pretty bow but unfortunately ackman's razor isn't always the best scientific solution to every problem.

Of course, this is just a layman's observation!

Hi ravyn007

Do you get other viral symptoms when you get 'labs'? If not then your doctor could be wrong and it might not be viral.

Have they considered migraine associated vertigo? Much more likely to be recurring than labs/VN.

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We strongly advise anyone wishing to take up vrt or change/stop medication should consult their doctor first.

Can i just add that vestibular neuronitis shows identical symptoms to labs but without the hearing loss and the treatment is the same. with vn its the vestibular nerve which is attacked by a virus rather than the inner ear canal itself. like labs the damage is permanent. the only other thing i can think of is that you may have decompensated if you had any kind of bug before the recurrences. Alot of doctors label dizziness as labs when it is in fact vn. but it is hard to tell the difference apart from the hearing loss which is a big clue. I think with menieres disease there is hearing loss also. Migraine associated vertigo is another possibility, you dont always get headaches with this and it might be worth looking into. good luck.

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We strongly advise anyone wishing to take up vrt or start/change/stop medication should consult their doctor first.

ravyn007 - It is actually pretty well known among the gaming community that Guitar Hero can bring on dizzy feelings, and headaches and nausea too! It's all the visual motion stimuli, which affects people sensitive to it. If you have inner ear problems, the problem is obviously magnified x 10000!
It's annoying isn't it? I can't play Mario Galaxy anymore, it makes me a bit wobbly.

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"Look to your health; and if you have it, praise god and value it next to conscience; for health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of, a blessing money can't buy." - Izaak Walton

The dreaded guitar hero !! my kids were playing that too, not only did the screen make me feel dizzy , the noise intensified it ! need less to say sent it home with my oldest son, they can play it there

Oh boy will I be pissed if I can't play Guitar Hero anymore ebcause of this

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