MRI shows microvascular compression and sinusitis

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders » Panic Attacks » MRI shows microvascular compression and sinusitis

Question:

Hi, New to this board. Have been suffering for over five months with dizziness, some nausea, and panic-attack like symptoms. Finally had some special tests, MRI and Vestibular Function Tests. The MRI showed microvascular compression (affecting eighth cranial nerve) and sinusitis. I’ve been suffering a lot of dizziness (possibly from the 8th nerve) and fullness around right ear just in front of ear-lobe. Also, heaviness above eyebrows. I’m wondering if sinusitis can cause the head symptoms – feels like I have a cold with sore, foggy head and sense of fullness around the ear as described above. The dizziness I am not sure about – as this is all new to me. I thought I had been suffering panic attacks but with this new information doubt that is the case. I took some over the counter sinusitus tablets today and while I have still had the above symptoms I have felt a small amount of relief. Hope someone can share any info with me. Thanks, Julie

Response:

I’m not a doctor, so beware an ignore if this sounds too much for you… I do have sinusitus chronically, constantly though, and I can certainly sympathize with you… When I haven’t been able to breathe deeply and normally for a week or two, I use a 12hour non drousy sudafed, for a day or two, normal dose of course, just to get my breath and some sleep… But, this is an as needed thing, and is physically rough on your membranes if you do it too much, so be careful… I have begun to use the Dr Grossan irrigator, with warmish breathe ease solution, it takes some effort and disipline to keep this up, but it seems to have a clearing and drying benefit, it’s relatively simple to do… And finnaly, this web site has a lot of good info from a doctor that seems to be concentrating on sinusitus, although I have not yet visited this doctor. So of course, I can’t speak to his true helpfulness. http://www.sinuses.com/index.htm Good luck, and you’ve come to the right place "Julie V" <medi…@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message

news:xwzF6.15856$ff.111251@news-server.bigpond.net.au… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi, > New to this board. Have been suffering for over five months with dizziness, > some nausea, and panic-attack like symptoms. Finally had some special > tests, MRI and Vestibular Function Tests. The MRI showed microvascular > compression (affecting eighth cranial nerve) and sinusitis. > I’ve been suffering a lot of dizziness (possibly from the 8th nerve) and > fullness around right ear just in front of ear-lobe. Also, heaviness above > eyebrows. > I’m wondering if sinusitis can cause the head symptoms – feels like I have a > cold with sore, foggy head and sense of fullness around the ear as described > above. > The dizziness I am not sure about – as this is all new to me. > I thought I had been suffering panic attacks but with this new information > doubt that is the case. > I took some over the counter sinusitus tablets today and while I have still > had the above symptoms I have felt a small amount of relief. > Hope someone can share any info with me. > Thanks, > Julie

Response:

In article <9c7eqr$qk…@slb6.atl.mindspring.net>, rad0 <rde…@mindspring.com> wrote: > I’m not a doctor, so beware an ignore if this sounds too much for you… > I do have sinusitus chronically, constantly though, and I can certainly > sympathize with you… > When I haven’t been able to breathe deeply and normally for a week or two, > I use a 12hour non drousy sudafed, for a day or two, normal dose of course, > just to get my breath and some sleep… > But, this is an as needed thing, and is physically rough on your membranes > if > you do it too much, so be careful…

I don’t think we have any information to make us think that oral decongestants are in any way rough on the nasal mucous membranes. There may be other (cardiovascular) reasons to monitor their side effects, but they are safe to use on a regular basis as far as the nasal membranes are concerned. Larry

Response:

> Have been suffering for over five months with dizziness, >some nausea, and panic-attack like symptoms. Finally had some special >tests, MRI and Vestibular Function Tests.

These are the same symptoms I had for about 5 years. I had been to every kind of specialist and had every tests there was to have. My sinuses seemed to be the problem because I always had sore throats, stuffed nose, long-term chronic fever. But the vertigo and panic-attacks had the doctors stumped. As a last resort I went to see a ENT in Manhattan who was recommended by a sympathetic co-worker. He said I absolutely needed surgery and within a few months post-op all the above symptoms were totally gone. I am still recovering from my first infection in 2 years since surgery, but I can tell you that all the weird neurological symptoms including the vertigo and panic were back. Every doctor including my surgeon says the sypmtoms are not part of sinusitis, but we all know better, don’t we? Nadine

Response:

Julie, Sinusitis can make you feel foggy headed, dizzy and sometimes for those sensitive to it, even panic attacks. The inner ear’s balance mechanisms seem to get thrown off as the sinuses swell and close off the Eustachian tube…the result is often fluid in the ear. But, Im not a doc, but have gone thru this stuff. Good luck, BrianC