Another vertigo question

[WhiteMTHike]

I was talking with my dad about how over the past 4 years or so Ive been getting rather spooked when Im out on ledges and what not. When I was in high school I used to jump off cliffs into water and not think twice about it.

My dad claims that it might be an inner ear infection and that the infection can throw off your equaliberium.

Can anyone confirm this.
thanks
Chad

Father knows best. I had a serious case of vertigo last year. Forget the hiking trails, I couldn't even drive to the trailheads. When my wife drove me to an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat specialist) I was given an MRI and it was determined that I had Labyrinthitis which is an inner-ear infection. I was given a prescription for the vertigo but the Labyrinthitis had to go away on its own; took about 6 months for that to happen. I'd suggest you keep an eye on this and if possible get checked by an ENT.

Hope this helps.

 

[snowbird22]

Sorry if this has been mentioned in one of the previous threads but I have had the same problem about a 2-3months ago. It lasted about a month. Same syptoms and it was a blocked middle ear. Went on nose spray for it and it cleared up. It took a long time though. What happened is I went to Water Country and got water deep into ear then I went to work. I am a pilot so the change in altitude causes pressure change which led to vertigo and slight dizziness. It was not fun trying to fly an airplane and feeling funny like that but it does go away eventually. It is the same principle on a smaller scale that if you got water in your ear @ somepoint then went climbing the change in altitude can cause that. Hope this helps Good luck. Try Affrain nose spray.

 

[Abster]

Age Range

More 2 cents....

Sounds to me like you are in situations (exposed heights) where a brief feeling of vertigo may lead to a flash of anxiety or panic.

I have looked into this in the past for when I all of a sudden became afraid to fly, but previously loved it. The book I referenced stated that a heighten level of anxiety or situations of panic may more commonly happen in your early 20's and last through late 30's. Of course everyone is different.....

The good part is that you don't have to just live with it, you can explore measures to reduce or work with the reaction in your body.

I took a NOLS mountaineering and rock climbing course to help deal with my fear of heights, (so I can do more outside!). During the course I repelled off of a 170ft cliff. I was teary-eyed with fear as I went over the edge, but made it down okay and was rewarded with an expanded foundation of confidence in this type of situation. Bondcliff is definitely a trigger, but I was able to stand on the cliff long enough for a picture to be taken Good luck! Hanna