Wanted to ask this question to the Clusterheads:

Do any of you, or an abnormal percentage of you, have hearing or balance problems?  Is this something that could be connected to clusters?

I've had the clusters since I was 18.  When I was about 28, my left ear blew up.  Horrible attack one night about kip 7-8.  When it was over, I'd lost about 40% of my hearing.  In the succeeding 10 years, I lost the rest of it, and gained a healthy dose of tinnitis.  Recently, I've had a couple of spells, possibly related to an inner ear virus exacerbated by snorkling and diving, where my balance has gone completely wacky and made me violently motion sick. 

I have no evidence that my ear problems are related to my headache problems, but I thought I'd ask the question- anybody here having similar problems?

Not really in my case, but my hearing high notes is gone. To much rock m roll, too many hard walls working with impact tools as a mechanic, and I shoot guns.

Oddly in some, but no all CH seasons my hearing can get a bit better. My sence of smell can be enhanced too.

In Ch season I can be tippy on my feet which isn't my normal, so I feel a slight effect like you.

In this ch season my right ear seems to feel as if water is trapped, like what happens if you are swimming alot under water.

I have no idea if this is from the CH. So I am not saying it is, or it isn't, and relating a few observations only.

99% of the time my ch is on the right, and by the looks of your post your's are on the left.

Have you checked into Ménière's disease?

It sounds more as though you have 2 seperate issues going on here.

Check it out.  You may get better results with your ear/balance issues.

Mac_Muz wrote on Dec 21^st, 2009 at 4:56pm:

In this ch season my right ear seems to feel as if water is trapped, like what happens if you are swimming alot under water.

I get that a lot when in cycle...but I also get it when not in cycle, just not as much. But when I was a kid I got swimmer's ear once-bleeding and all-which I put most of my ear problems on. But it seems as though the CH brings it out a bit more than usual.

Only times I've really had any balance problems was after an imitrex at first....just a little light headedness for a few seconds...

No, Mac, my clusters are on the right.  My ear problems are on the left.  I have checked into Meneire's, and was worried about that for awhile, after the horrible motion sickness episode.  But that was about 5 months ago and there have been no further attacks like that.  Am hoping it was a one time thing, maybe a virus or bacteria in my inner ear from swimming and diving in a river. 

Anchor Yanker , No doctor here, but i susp[ect the leftside ear thing, has nothing to do with the rightside CH thing..

That doesn't mean symptoms can't happen .. but it means I know nothing that can help you, other than o2 for the ch.

In NH it is way to cold in Fall /Winter to even think about swimming, but I don't think I would, when my season is on.. Not very deep anyway. 14 feet is about 1 atmosphere more pressure, and I don't think it would be a good idea to get even that deep.

I am guessing these 'swims' were in another time, but then there is pools sometimes that deep.

Tinnitus seems to be rather common here, and some types of tinnitus are linked to the serotonin-2 receptors. Kudzu was traditionally used to treat it in China and Japan.  Also, lots of people tend to clench their jaws and grind their teeth when in cycle, which can cause problems with the muscles and blood vessels around the ear.

I have had ringing in my ear on and off since my cycle started at various frequencies and I find this gets worse when I have bad shadows.

The ringing only lasts about 30 mins to a couple of hours and then goes. I don't know if this is because of my CH but then I have only had this since my cycle began in July.

Redd wrote on Dec 21^st, 2009 at 5:55pm:

Have you checked into Ménière's disease?

Not to be confused with "Mein Ear's" disease. As in, "Ach! Mein Ear!" Which also hurts a great deal, I imagine.

Brew wrote on Dec 23^rd, 2009 at 12:20pm:

Redd wrote on Dec 21st, 2009 at 5:55pm: Have you checked into Ménière's disease? Not to be confused with "Mein Ear's" disease. As in, "Ach! Mein Ear!" Which also hurts a great deal, I imagine.

;D

Marc wrote on Dec 23^rd, 2009 at 12:39pm:

Brew wrote on Dec 23rd, 2009 at 12:20pm: Redd wrote on Dec 21st, 2009 at 5:55pm: Have you checked into Ménière's disease? Not to be confused with "Mein Ear's" disease. As in, "Ach! Mein Ear!" Which also hurts a great deal, I imagine. ;D

:P :D

Brew, that was the funniest joke ever about Meniere's Disease.   You should be on the stage!  There's one leaving in ten minutes.   ;D

Hey, I'll be here all week. Don't forget your waitresses and bartenders. And, hey, try the veal.

Anchor Yanker wrote on Dec 23^rd, 2009 at 9:10pm:

Brew, that was the funniest joke ever about Meniere's Disease.   You should be on the stage!  There's one leaving in ten minutes.   ;D

   It's the second funniest joke I've ever heard about Meniere's Disease.

               Potter

Well, it got un-funny again last night.  I had another spell.  Woke up at midnight and the world was spinning out of control.  I couldn't lift my head off the pillow without barfing for 3 hours.  I gotta get this figured out.  Looking up ear-nose-throat docs today.

As for the connection to headaches, I'm still between clusters, though I have had a few little shadows following me.  I think I'm dealing with two separate issues. 

The vertigo spells are intermittent to begin, and get worse as the disease progresses.

Yes, I'd say get thee to an ENT for a Ménière's workup.

Anchor Yanker wrote on Dec 23^rd, 2009 at 9:10pm:

Brew, that was the funniest joke ever about Meniere's Disease.   You should be on the stage!  There's one leaving in ten minutes.   ;D

Yeah, but that's the only one I've ever heard about Meniere's disease.   ;)

monty wrote on Dec 25^th, 2009 at 5:36pm:

Anchor Yanker wrote on Dec 23rd, 2009 at 9:10pm: Brew, that was the funniest joke ever about Meniere's Disease.   You should be on the stage!  There's one leaving in ten minutes.   ;D Yeah, but that's the only one I've ever heard about Meniere's disease.   ;)

Then by default, it would be the worst one as well.

Well, the worst one goes like this:

Say, do you know what a henweigh is?

Oh, usually about three and a half pounds, but Meniere's about four! ;D