u/Shai2777

Hi,

I'm a 26M dealing with a persistent health issue over the past 5 months and would really appreciate some insight as to what it could be.

About 6 months ago in early January, I flew home from a family trip. The next day, as one experiences over the holidays, I had a mundane flu - primarily congestion, fatigue, a sore throat, etc. Nothing crazy, I felt better in 3 days.

A day or two after the symptoms passed, I was driving and felt my ears were still clogged. Since it had been less than a week since I had traveled, I felt it was likely just leftover air pressure related symptoms from the flight. I proceeded to do a variation of what I now know is called the "Valsalva maneuver", something I had done many times before without thinking twice about it. It was basically my way of clearing a muffled ear and re-regulate things.

However this time was different. I was driving on the freeway and when I did the maneuver, I experienced horrible vertigo. It was very severe and I immediately pulled over (luckily I was in the final lane and was able to pull over quickly). The severe vertigo only lasted for about two minutes but it took me a while to compose myself and drive home.

From that point on, I have consistently been dealing with a flux of symptoms which I will post here:

• Persistent ear crackling/crinkling/popping
• Fluctuating ear pressure, occasionally accompanied by mild right-sided muffled hearing - though popping has occasionally occurred in the left ear as well.
• Intermittent dizziness/lightheadedness, especially while driving, standing for prolonged periods, exercising intensely, or small elevation changes.
• Symptoms often worsened by fragmented sleep, fasting, heat, excess caffeine, crowded environments, and intense exercise.
• Occasional lightheadedness preceding bowel movements, often improving immediately afterward, suggesting a possible autonomic component. (Very bizarre but it's like my body knows I have to crap before I do.)

I went to see an ENT. The audiogram test I did showed only a slight pressure discrepancy in the right ear, which should be consistent with Eustachian tube dysfunction, with normal hearing on audiogram.

ENT thinks it could be ETD or a vestibular migraine. Recommended a Mometasone Nasal Spray that I've been taking twice a day consistently for three months now with no results.

I also did a CT scan and luckily there were no structural issues.

Additional bits of context: Overweight (5'10 210 lbs male), currently pretty stressed about something, sleep can be better (I sleep enough but late times). Average diet but have a sweet tooth. Don't drink or do any drugs. I have a deviated septum, mitigating my air intake in the left nostril. Have also already been sick three times this year, which is odd.

Would appreciate any help! This has been really frustrating and I just want to regain my sense of self back :)