For a bacterial sinus infection, doctors prescribe antibiotics and steroids. For vertigo, doctors prescribe vestibular suppressants like Meclizine (Antivert) or benzodiazepines.
If this sounds familiar, you aren’t going crazy. You are likely experiencing a poorly understood but very real phenomenon: vertigo from sinus infection
However, taking Meclizine for vertigo actually dries out your mucous membranes. While this helps the spinning, it makes your sinus mucus thicker and harder to drain, potentially prolonging the infection. Conversely, using a heavy-duty decongestant (like Sudafed) can raise your blood pressure and inner ear pressure, which can paradoxically make the tinnitus and spinning worse for some people. You are likely experiencing a poorly understood but
Because your brain relies on fluid movement to tell which way is up, this distortion creates a false signal. Your eyes tell your brain you are standing still, but your inner ear screams, “No! We are doing a barrel roll!” This mismatch is vertigo. Sometimes, the same virus causing your sinus infection migrates across the thin membrane separating your sinuses from your inner ear. Once inside the cochlea or vestibular nerve, the virus causes direct inflammation of the nerve responsible for balance (the vestibulocochlear nerve). Because your brain relies on fluid movement to
Until the infection clears, move slowly. Turn your whole body instead of just your head. Sleep propped up on two pillows to keep the ear fluid stable. And remember: The room will stop spinning. It always does. You just have to drain the swamp to calm the waves.
You stand up a little too fast from the couch, or you tilt your head back to put in eye drops, and the world suddenly lurches. The ceiling swoops left, the floor drops out from under you, and for a terrifying two seconds, you have to grab the doorframe to keep from crashing down.
So, what do crystals have to do with a sinus infection? Inflammation and bed rest. When you have a severe sinus infection, you produce massive amounts of thick, inflammatory debris. This debris can alter the viscosity of the fluid in your inner ear. Furthermore, lying on the couch for three days allows gravity to pull those crystals into places they don’t belong. Suddenly, every time you roll over in bed or look up at a shelf, the room spins for 30 seconds. Because vertigo is also a symptom of stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, and Meniere’s disease, it is vital to know the specific signature of sinus-induced vertigo.