Self-Treatment

I have vertigo possibly caused by Meniere Disease. I haven't been to a doctor for a confirmation because I'm not excited about the tests I'd have to go through. Besides, there's no known cure for Meniere Disease. There are only treatments with various perscription drugs and operations that will leave me deaf (if I decide to have them done). If left untreated, I will have spells of vertigo with me with no warning.

Therefore, based on my own readings and experiementation, I'm trying self-treatment for the time being. I'll probably see a specialist after I have my wisdom teeth removed at the end of the month.

Vertigo: I read that this is possible caused by fluid retention in the inner ear. The vertigo I experience includes dizziness in various forms, loss of balance, loss of direction ( I see the bathroom doorway and I walk into the wall instead), fatigue and nausea. (This is worst case...usually I just feel motion sick. In the medical field, I'd be treated with motion sickness drugs and perscription diuretics. However, I realized by accident that if I exercise in the morning (a good heart-pounding aerobic exercise) the vertigo is little to non-existant during the day. Exercise can prevent fluid retention. I also make sure to drink plenty of water and eat a low-sodium diet.

Tinnitus: I've had ringing in my ears all my life. The other day I could hear music that wasn't really playing. It was beautiful so it didn't bother me. To keep it from taking over my hearing, I limit noise exposure.

Hearing Loss: I saw a specialist for possible hearing loss when I was a teenager. He said I had no hearing loss despite the ringing in my ears. He asked me if I was involved in music. I told him I was a singer. He said that my forcing myself to listen to music and notes and pitches was actually preserving my hearing. (Foreign language learning helps too). So I'm considering checking into voice lessons again.

The funny this is, I can tell you what is music and what is noise just by how it affects my hearing. Sorry, but rap is noise and so is most pop music.

Stuffy feeling in ears: I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do about this.

Ginko Biloba has been known for reducing vertigo and tinnitus.

Meclizine can be taken for the motion sickness feeling. I take Bonine. It doesn't work as well as the perscription stuff I got before.

I'm also taking immune boosters such as vitamin C, echinacea and zinc (in appropriate forms and amounts) to ward off any infections that may cause or aggrivate symptoms.

Unfortunately, when I get pregnant again, they don't recommend taking Ginko Biloba or Meclizine.

I am going to check out Candy's Re-learning to See.

ladyscott