THEunpredictability symptoms can generate a lot of apprehension and anxiety. Daily activities, such as driving, can become risky. In addition, even when the seizures disappear, complications may persist. Some people suffer from permanent and irreversible hearing loss or balance disorders. Indeed, during repeated seizures, nerve cells responsible for balance may die and they are not replaced. The same goes for the cells responsible for hearing.

Often, at the onset of the disease, a series of seizures occurs over a short period of time, ranging from a few weeks to a few months. The seizures may then disappear for several months or become less frequent.

Symptoms of a seizure

Usually symptoms last 20 minutes to 24 hours and lead to severe physical exhaustion.

• A feeling of fullness in the ear and intense tinnitus (whistling, buzzing), which often occurs first.
• Un intense dizziness and suddenly, which forces you to lie down. You may have the impression that everything revolves around you, or that you revolve around yourself.
• A partial and fluctuating loss ofhearing.
• Dizziness and loss of balance.
• Rapid eye movements, uncontrollable (nystagmus, in medical parlance).
• Sometimes nausea, vomiting and sweating.
• Sometimes stomach aches and diarrhea.
• In some cases, the patient feels “pushed” and falls suddenly. We then speak of Tumarkin seizures or otolithic seizures. These falls are dangerous due to the risk of injury.

Warning signs

The vertigo attacks are sometimes preceded by a few warning signs, but they most often occur abruptly.

• A feeling of blocked ear, such as occurs at high altitudes.
• Partial hearing loss with or without tinnitus.
• A headache.
• Sensitivity to sounds.
• Dizziness.
• A loss of balance.

Between crises

• In some people, tinnitus and balance problems persist.
• At first, hearing usually returns to normal between attacks. But very often a permanent hearing loss (partial or total) sets in over the years.