Dealing with Vestibular neuritis (inner ear nerve inflammation)

I’m starting this thread because I couldn't find much info on this specific issue online. If the moderator thinks there's already a similar discussion somewhere, please feel free to move this.
It all started last year when I was hit with dizziness, vomiting, and just feeling totally wiped out. My doctor put me on Torokan, and luckily, things settled down after a few days.
A couple of times since then, it flared up again, and that same treatment helped me get back on my feet.
But last week, everything came crashing back, and it was honestly the worst it's ever been. I had the dizziness, the nausea, and such intense weakness and instability that I actually fell down a few times.
After getting some tests done at the audiology clinic, they gave me a diagnosis: Vestibular neuritis
and Paresis vestibularis 1.dex
The current plan is Meridian Medical Technologies 24 mg, twice a day,
along with B vitamins and plenty of rest.
I've been following this regimen for a week now, but I haven't really felt much better yet.
If anyone else has dealt with this, could you please reach out? I'd love to know how long it took for you to see real improvement while on medication, and if you think an MRI might help pinpoint why this is happening.
I would really appreciate any insight or personal stories you can share to help me navigate this.
Thanks so much!

Can someone please walk me through why this happens, how it works, and how long I'm stuck with it?
It’s honestly pretty embarrassing, and I’m low-key terrified that I won't be able to handle things on my own for much longer.
Am I really the only one out here struggling with balance issues?

placiddrifter26 said:Can someone please walk me through why this happens, how it works, and how long I'm stuck with it?
It’s honestly pretty embarrassing, and I’m low-key terrified that I won't be able to handle things on my own for much longer.
Am I really the only one out here struggling with balance issues?

Well, look, I went through the exact same thing about three months ago. I just got out of bed and suddenly everything started spinning uncontrollably, leaving me nauseous. It lasted for about two hours straight until I finally just lay down and waited it out. Even now, the dizziness hasn't fully vanished; it’s certainly less intense than that initial hit, but it’s been over two months and it just lingers. My doctor put me on Meridian Medical Technologies 24mg twice a day, but even that hasn't cleared it up yet. When I walk, I feel this persistent pull to one side—sometimes it's the right, sometimes it's the left—and even when I'm sitting still, I feel like I'm drifting off-center. It's a complete loss of equilibrium. I’m still managing my daily routine, but the sensation is maddening. It prevents me from doing things the way I used to—playing basketball, working at my computer, or even just heading out with friends. As a college student, it’s a massive distraction when I'm trying to study.

I recently underwent some vestibular testing and an ENG exam. The vestibular tests came back great, but the ENG clearly showed that I was drifting toward the left (though that's somewhat subjective). After the ENG, the vertigo hit me like a freight train; I was completely incapacitated for the rest of the day and had to lie there with my eyes shut until the world stopped spinning. I took more Meridian Medical Technologies, and by the next morning, I felt significantly better. Following the ENG, the doctor suggested it might be like a pinched nerve in my neck—something there isn't a "cure" for, it just has to run its course. He mentioned that typically, about three months after the first onset, things should stabilize (I'm currently just past the two-month mark), provided I avoid strenuous physical activity or heavy lifting. My diagnosis: Suspected Vestibular neuritis on the right side

I've started incorporating some light cervical stretching exercises, but it's all a bit hit-or-miss. I still deal with this mental fog and that sideways pull while walking. Interestingly enough, when I'm riding my bike, the sensation vanishes entirely—I feel perfectly balanced. It’s only once I hop off that the slight drift returns. So far, though, I haven't actually fallen due to the vertigo.

So, that’s my situation. I hope sharing this helps anyone else navigating this mess. If you've dealt with something similar and managed to recover, I would truly appreciate it if you could reach out via email at zgman.01@gmail.com or message me here on the forum with any advice or protocols I should follow. May God forbid anyone else has to go through this... Best regards.

Can anyone walk me through what an ENG exam actually looks like? I have one coming up, but since I’ve been dealing with this constant vertigo, I’m already a nervous wreck. I’ve heard horror stories that it’s absolutely brutal.

So, hey everyone. I'm 40, and back on February 26th, I woke up with these two intense, super short bursts of vertigo—just from getting out of bed, really. After that, things settled down a bit, but ever since, I've been dealing with this constant drowsiness, occasional nausea, and this weird weakness in my head (especially during the first half of the day). I’ve also had some burping, occasional headaches, and later on, this very faint ringing in one ear along with some light pressure. It’s actually started messing with my mental state too. I ended up heading to the hospital after a few days when I realized things weren't improving. My EKG, blood work, and blood pressure were all fine. They sent me to an ENT, where they tested for BPPV, but that came back negative. Hearing tests were okay, too. However, the caloric test was positive (my eyes kept moving after the test) and showed inflammation of the nerve in the middle ear on the left side. Apparently, Vestibular neuritis is considered a benign condition, but man, the symptoms are incredibly unpleasant. What I didn't realize was that it can last much longer than just a couple of weeks, and it can even flare up again after a period of feeling fine. After about six weeks, I woke up one day feeling totally normal, and that lasted for maybe ten days before everything came rushing back, though in a slightly milder form. The stomach nausea isn't as bad now, but I still feel that weakness in my head—though not as intensely. It’s just a really uncomfortable situation. I guess the best way to describe that head weakness is that fuzzy, off feeling you get right before you come down with a flu or a virus. It’s pretty unsettling.
After two months, I went back for a follow-up, and while the tests say I'm technically better, I don't exactly feel like myself yet. Since chronic cases of vestibular neuritis aren't really documented here in the States, I'm just hoping I won't be the first one to deal with it.
With this kind of illness, I think staying calm is vital because it really takes a toll on your psyche—especially for people like us who are already prone to stress and anxiety. I actually went as far as getting an ultrasound on my carotid arteries just to rule out any chance of a stroke.
Apparently, there are eye exercises that are supposed to speed up recovery from VN.
Modern medicine doesn't fully understand the exact cause of vestibular neuritis. From what I've gathered, it might be triggered by stress, a sudden chill, or most commonly, a viral infection—could even be epidemic or seasonal (interestingly, I met someone in my neighborhood with the same diagnosis who is 15 years younger than me).
Has anyone else on this forum gone through the same thing?
If you have, I'm curious how long your recovery took and what your specific symptoms were... Supposedly, only about 5% of people get it again. And from what I hear, older folks (60+) generally take a much longer time to recover from this.

Is anyone else out there dealing with this?
So, I just got this diagnosis
But honestly, I’m skeptical—the doctor says my hearing hasn't dropped and there's no fullness in the ear,

The thing is, I've had some trouble hearing out of my right ear for years now.

Whenever an episode hits, it starts with this intense stiffness in my upper neck and shoulder blade—then the entire right side of my head just aches. I get this pressure and ringing in my right ear, and the muffled feeling gets even worse. After that, the dizziness and nausea kick in, and once those subside, the headache and ear pressure finally let up. Along with the vertigo and vomiting, my right eye starts twitching, and it feels like the whole right side of my face is tightening up slightly. It usually passes in a day or two, leaving me with nothing but a sore neck.
The first time it happened was back in 2002, then again in 2021, but lately, it’s been happening much more frequently.

Does anyone know of other diagnoses that might fit these symptoms? I’ve already done a CT scan, blood work, and seen an ENT and a neurologist for a general checkup.