As a vestibular therapist, the second most common thing I treat is typically caused by an inner ear infection. It can go by a few different names - labyrinthitis, vestibular neuritis, peripheral vestibular hypofunction - but at the end of the day, they all mean the same thing: your ear is not working properly. I don’t have the equipment to figure out if the problem is coming from the nerve or the end organ and, quite frankly, it doesn’t matter - they act the same. I group them together in one name: Unilateral Vestibular Hypofunction, or UVH for short.
Here’s my story: I got hit by a flu when I was a physiotherapy student at UBC. I remember sitting on the couch, trying desperately to stop Oprah from oscillating on my TV. After a few days of spinning, overwhelming nausea and an inability to walk without holding onto someone or something, I managed to get on the bus (big mistake) and go to class. The professor noticed that I wasn’t at my best - she looked into my eyes and simply said “go home”. What I didn’t know at the time was my eyes were jerking back and forth (called nystagmus) - my professor caught it and figured out what was going on. With vestibular exercises and some time, I got back to “normal”.
Why do I say “normal”? I will always have an inner ear deficit. When I’m really tired or fatigued, by brain can’t compensate for the deficit as well as it normally does and I get a bit symptomatic. Here’s the difference between me now and me then: I know what I can do about it. I know how to settle my symptoms and get control back. This is what I help other people learn to do.
Why do UVHs happen?
Most people hate this answer but it’s usually the common cold or flu - it was for me! Other viruses and bacteria have also been linked to UVHs but it’s usually a virus that needs to run its course. Unfortunately, it typically damages the ear in the process. When this happens, the signals between the inner ear and brain are disrupted. This results in a bunch of symptoms that can either pass on their own or stick around for a lot longer than you want them to.
What are the symptoms of a UVH?
This list is long! The vestibular system affects several aspects of the brain with vision and balance being the two most common ones. I don’t let people say they’re dizzy (learn why here), so people with a UVH often complain of the following:
Weird head feelings - cotton head, foggy head, vice head, light headed…
Blurred vision or difficulty reading - almost like the world is oscillating (sometimes a bit, sometimes a lot!)
Off balance
Nausea, often with vomiting
Tinnitus, or ringing in your ears
Decreased hearing
Typically aren’t bad drivers but are terrible passengers
Hates grocery stores and places with lots of visual stimulation (think Costco or your kid’s hockey game)
Symptoms are worse with fatigue and stress
Tends to veer to the side when walking - partners will complain they push them off the sidewalk
Difficulty concentrating and multitasking
What can I do about it?
A lot! During your assessment, we figure out where your deficits are. Maybe your balance isn’t bad but you can’t keep your eyes stable for the life of you. Or maybe you can move your head beautifully but as soon as you look up, you fall backwards. We break down your symptoms and give you exercises designed to challenge your system’s weaknesses.
More importantly, we figure out how those symptoms are affecting your life. If you’re a golfer, it’s critical you maintain your balance through your swing and change your gaze direction quickly. If curling is your passion, your dynamic balance needs to be on point. Whatever you love to do becomes our goal and focus.
If you’d like a few exercises to try now, check out my previous blog on my Top Ten Vestibular Exercises for Life.
As always, if you’re suffering from a vestibular condition and you’d like to book an assessment, book online or give us a call at (778) 630-8800.