i went to my neurologist yesterday and was started up on a migraine med. i saw my file on the counter and i asked if i could look at it. it showed my eng results. i couldn't make it out that well but the word bi-lateral showed up a couple times. i remember my neuro 2 years ago telling me that during the caloic test that my ears didn't respond to the warm and cold water but that my right ear was weaker than my left.

what does it mean when both ears don't respond to the caloric test?? my doctors don't seem to concerned about it and i was never told i had a bilateral problem. what could this mean?

i thought the eng is the test that showed inner ear or central??

how do they not know?

is it possible that having MAV would interfer with the results?? also how can it be a bi lateral central problem

My understanding has always been that the caloric test shows the vestibular function of the left and right ears, not to distinguish between a vestibular and central problem.

What it sounds like to me is that you have reduced vestibular function in both ears, i.e. bilateral.

I could be completely wrong. I'm sure someone around here knows for sure.

The ENG is next to useless at determining whether a problem is peripheral or central. At this point they seem to be commonly used to say - well if there is no ENG abnormality, the problem is probably migraine and not a peripheral lesion.. but not vice versa.. because migraine can also cause peripheral lesions.

what are the other parts of the ENG the water part is the caloric part right? everything else on my ENG was normal. what are the other parts of the eng and what do they look for?

i don't think my ENG was done correctly the lady was on the phone with her friends (nice huh?) and when she was putting the water in she wasn't even getting the water in my ears at times. i looked it up and it said that one of the most common reasons an eng shows no responce is either that the test was done wrong or oxticity.

so what are the other parts of the ENG and what do they test for


can you have an abnormal eng and its because of something like migraine??

A doctor has the duty to explain that stuff to you. if they take those tests then they should take the time to A) tell you what the results are and B) explain them in depth with you! I would suggest calling the doctor and asking him to go over the tests with you and explain them as well if he doesn't do it or doesn't explain them enough I would request the records and maybe your primary care physician can explain them. ugh doctors!!

A doctor has the duty to explain that stuff to you. if they take those tests then they should take the time to A) tell you what the results are and B) explain them in depth with you! I would suggest calling the doctor and asking him to go over the tests with you and explain them as well if he doesn't do it or doesn't explain them enough I would request the records and maybe your primary care physician can explain them. ugh doctors!!

i called my doc today and he explained that at the time of the ENG that i could have just been hypersensitve in my system and that it means nothing. ENG is not a test for bilateral dysfuntion he said and that bi latreral is very rare and associted with many other symtoms