Expert: Harriet B Jacobster, Au.D. - 6/21/2008

Question
I have had long standing cervical stenosis for about ten years. Last June, I went to an orthapedic surgeon for numbness, tingling, and other things. I had already had one neck surgery in the front of the neck. My doc did an x-ray and asked me why did it take me so long to get there, ha. I had been assaulted after a separation from my former husband while separated and thought I made it through ok. One morning I woke up and it felt like an electric current had taken over my body along with numbness. My doc told me I had cervical stenosis and did a cervical fusion going through the back. Still going through recovery; says it takes a full two years. Had a nurse come to my house everyday for a month. Anyway, for a good while, I have been having wierd dizzy spells, along with nausea and ear popping. I went to my doc and he is sending me to a neurologist this next week. Sometimes I get headaches with it, sometimes ear popping, and sometimes I just get the dizziness. We think I might have cervical stenosis and I guess they do tests to rule out other causes. How do they test for cervical vertigo, and can there be ear popping with it?
When I saw my doc I had an attack while I was there, and my ears popped then. I had one behind the wheel and it was kind of scary. I have just never heard of ear popping with vertigo before. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks,

                            Dana Francis  

Answer
Hi Dana,
Yes, there is a test for vertigo due to cervical stenosis and any audiologist who specialized in balance disorders can perform it.  Here is a great website that goes into great detail and can explain it much better than I can:
http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/central/cervical.html
Hope this helps.
Harriet B. Jacobster, AuD
Board Certified in Audiology