I’ve been really puzzled and somewhat worried about some health issues that started around early to mid-January when I, along with my roommates, experienced flu-like symptoms including fever, cough, and diarrhea. We thought we had recovered until early February when I began experiencing intermittent vertigo and fatigue. The vertigo was particularly noticeable in enclosed spaces or while showering.
Within a week, my symptoms evolved to include ear fullness and a strange sensation of facial tension — it felt as though my face was being stretched backward or burnt by the sun. My mother-in-law, who is a nurse, observed slight swelling in my eardrums but no fluid accumulation. She recommended taking Sudafed and Motrin for about a week; however, this treatment didn’t alleviate my symptoms.
Two weeks later, the situation worsened significantly. I felt as if I were drunk even while sober: experiencing heavy head swelling that would start on one side of my face then spread across to the top of my head causing severe lightheadedness to the point where I thought I might pass out.
Fearing the worst, I rushed to urgent care where a doctor performed neurological tests such as tracking movements with fingers and eyes but ultimately diagnosed me with migraines—a condition familiar to me yet different from what I was currently experiencing. The prescribed Sumatriptan and Zofran brought no relief.
Seeking a second opinion, I consulted my physician who suspected an inner/middle ear infection after conducting similar tests. He prescribed Meclizine for nausea and Ibuprofen along with ear drops containing sulfate.
Now over a month since these peculiar symptoms like slight vertigo first appeared, new troubling signs have developed: throbbing hands accompanied by cold sensations in both hands and feet depending on how long I sit; pins-and-needles feelings in fingers up through forearms triggered by various sitting positions which at times become quite painful; swollen sensation mainly when standing up initiating daily routines along with slight ongoing facial tension; occasoinal ear crackling/fullness; minor back and neck pain intensified by even mild cold causing shivers.
These newly developed nerve pains made me wonder if they are related to potentially undiagnosed anxiety or panic attacks—something unfamiliar from earlier years of life but now labeled as panic attacks by doctors during recent visits.
Given this background:
- Could this still be an inner ear infection manifesting unusually extensive symptoms?
- Is there any possibility that an inner ear infection could lead directly or indirectly to such varied nerve pain? Or could it instead be caused by escalating anxiety levels?
- Are these nerve-related issues likely repairable over time?
Prior to these events unfolding over the past few weeks turning daily routines upside down—where now simple sudden movements induce sensations of passing out—I used to maintain an active lifestyle frequenting gym sessions four days weekly without prior instances of conditions like carpal tunnel or arthritis through youth reaching into adulthood except for some migraines during younger years until high school.
Any guidance or insights from experiences similar would be highly appreciated as this has been dramatically impacting daily life quality.