[fore]

HI, New to this, so I hope I am doing it right.
8 weeks ago I was hit in the back of the head by a golf ball from about 30 yards. no real bump or loss of consciosness. I immediately had clogged ears, like swimmers ear or flying stuffed ears. This was my biggest complaint. One side seems to have gotten better other side worse. Also now after a few weeks ringing in the ears has started and is getting worse. Have had CAT scans and have been seen by ear guy and neuro guy, no help.
just a presecreption for neurontin. Is there anything I can do? been told it can take up to 3 years to heal. making me nuts.

[Mark in Idaho]

fore,

Welcome to NT. Sorry for your struggles.

I guess they did not yell fore in your case. My mother has a similar incident. She stepped behind a tree after teeing off the women's tee. As she poked her head to see if the others had finished, she caught the ball right between her eyebrows. She ended up looking like a raccoon. Tough lady.

I am confused. What was the Neurontin prescribed for. I have been on it for 10 years and never heard of it for tinnitus. It definitely does not help my tinnitus.

Also, up to three years to heal 'what'?

Sounds like you are stuck in the same no-man's land as most with a mild brain injury.

Do you have any dizziness? Nausea? Headaches? Visual symptoms? Hearing impairments?

Is your clogged ears feeling based on the sounds you hear or do you feel pressure in your ears?

I have had the muffled sound of clogged ears without any clogged ears. Like my auditory nervous system was causing the muffled sounds.

Maybe an Auditory Evoked Potential test can tell if you have an auditory processing issue. Your neuro can prescribe it. Maybe the ENT too.

You have an interesting situation. Tell us more and I will dig into the research.

My best to you.

[fore]

thank you for your reply, appreciate it because as you know there are few people to talk to that will listen. the md's seen to brush it off as if the problem is not real. the ent said that the pressure test was normal as was the hearing test. the neuro doc prescribed the neurontin for nerve pain which he said would help relieve the clogged ear and ringing. 2-weeks of neurontin and it seems to do nothing. ringing the same and clogged ear not improving. not as bad when i am sleeping or just laying on the couch. walking is the worst, seems to be crushing something. clogged ear is definitly a pressure feeling, sticking my finger in and popping it gives momentary relief.
ent said PCS symptoms can take 3 years to heal.....that would make me nuts.
tried golf again and my eqilibrium is really off, shots i can make in my sleep were going 90 degrees in the wrong direction.
anything to stop the ringing?
i figure 8-9 weeks post trauma that the swelling must be down.
please tell me i won't have to live the rest of my life like this. it is terrible and highly annoying.
any advice for relief would be appreciated.
thank you again for your reply
and you are right he did not yell fore! and is not helping with the co-pays, nice guy huh.

Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho

fore,

Welcome to NT. Sorry for your struggles.

I guess they did not yell fore in your case. My mother has a similar incident. She stepped behind a tree after teeing off the women's tee. As she poked her head to see if the others had finished, she caught the ball right between her eyebrows. She ended up looking like a raccoon. Tough lady.

I am confused. What was the Neurontin prescribed for. I have been on it for 10 years and never heard of it for tinnitus. It definitely does not help my tinnitus.

Also, up to three years to heal 'what'?

Sounds like you are stuck in the same no-man's land as most with a mild brain injury.

Do you have any dizziness? Nausea? Headaches? Visual symptoms? Hearing impairments?

Is your clogged ears feeling based on the sounds you hear or do you feel pressure in your ears?

I have had the muffled sound of clogged ears without any clogged ears. Like my auditory nervous system was causing the muffled sounds.

Maybe an Auditory Evoked Potential test can tell if you have an auditory processing issue. Your neuro can prescribe it. Maybe the ENT too.

You have an interesting situation. Tell us more and I will dig into the research.

My best to you.

[Mark in Idaho]

The ENT's comment about PCS symptoms taking 3 years to heal is not substantiated. Yes, some do take three years but some take six months. The time to heal is variable.

Here is a primer on some ear issues. http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/bala...disorders.html

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=103463398

There are two therapies you may look into. Vestibular therapy and the Epley maneuver for labyrinthitis.

My wife has labyrinthitis and is scheduled to be treated by a Physical Therapist who worked with Dr Epley on developing his protocol.

Hope this helps.

Tell the errant golfer he should only play golf with a ForeSome. LOL
The demented humor of a damaged mind.

My best to you.

[fore]

so here we are 6 more weeks later and the symptoms are getting worse.
now besides clogged ear and the non stop ringing, i am having weird dreams, poor sleep, alwyas tired and worst thing waves of naseua pour over me without warning.
md makes me feel like i am crazy and should see a shrink.
it is making me nuts,
any suggestions? or do i need to just wait and wait and wait

[Mark in Idaho]

Weird dreams, poor sleep and always tired sounds like you may have some problems with sleep apnea. The back of the head is the brain stem. It has all of the nerves that control your breathing.

Do you have anybody who can observe you sleeping? If so, they could check on you when you are asleep and watch for a bit to see how you are breathing. Poor oxygen during sleep can cause weird or stressful dreams. I deal with them frequently. My wife knows that I will have a bad day if she hears or sees me breathing irregular.

Hope this helps.

My best to you.

[Dmom3005]

One thing either go back to the neurologist, or go to one that specializes
in more things like headaches, and odd things like PCS.

This is called a opthamologist/Neurologist, that specializes in balance issues.

This is the kind of Neurologist I saw, and found some help. Its been I believe
4 or more years now. And I did the physical therapy routine, and it helped
immesely. And I will admit it took almost a year to feel some relief.

But I had some other issues too at the same time. But I just had to
go through a refresher course of this, mainly because of odd feeling eyes,
and my ears having pressure.

And I will admit that it helped a lot. With the first set, I told everyone
I improved 300% or more. The second well its now close to 400% or
more.

I really believe this may have given me a chance at life. But I also
had lots of these issues most of my life.

Donna

[fore]

thank you for your reply. it is good to hear someone found relief. i just cant believe how much this has changed my life. i was very very active and now i spend most times in a quiet dark cold room in a prone position.
i have no desire to stand unless i realyy have to and even chewing is uncomfortable the ear pressure, nausea, ringing and all the other concussion symptoms seem to just stay the same or get worse. but i guess it just takes time.......all i want for xmas is relief.
my dog is even avoiding me as i yell at him when he barks.

[eponagirl]

Fore, I understand the feeling of not being able to do what you used to yet and the suffering (though in different ways). The ringing in my ear seems to have lessened (or I've gotten used to it, but likely both). Did your ENT Dr do balance tests, including laying back and other movements to check any vestibular issues? I would also suggest finding a good Cranial Sacral therapist...it is the best treatment I've had for my head injury...the most helpful of anything so far.

[Dmom3005]

Please find a neurologist that works with patients with balance issues.

Also the ringing and other things can be helped with physical therapy too.

Donna