Hi all
The symptom of true rotational (in any axis)dizziness is termed vertigo, to distinguish it from the 'light headedness' that occurs, for instance if one stands up quickly while dehydrated, or if prone to fainting. Hearing noise (buzzing) in your ear is termed tinnitus.
Presuming that one has true vertigo, there are several possible diagnoses. Note that virtually no general practitioner or general internist for you yankees understands this field. As some of these things are treatable and will cause real problems flying if not frankly making it unsafe get good specialist help, and if not satisfied get another opinion (and no i'm not out to make a buck: second opinion always takes longer than it's worth). Basically see an ENT with an interest in ears or a neurologist with an interest in balance.
Possible diagnoses:
1. "Labyrinthitis". I put this in quote marks because it actually lumps several different pathological processes together. Vertigo without tinnitus is usual. Sudden onset and wears off slowly. Vertigo is present (albeit less) even without head movement. Depending on the pathology, the degree of balance perception lost in that ear may be a large component of the available signal, and may be permanent. The brain perceives the imbalance in signal from the two ears as movement (note their is a constant signal even at rest) and so you perceive spinning. As I said it may be permanent. Over time the brain resets itself to accommodate that loss. I tell my patients who have not recovered inner ear function after 24 hours (it can be bedside tested) to expect 1 week of feeling unwell, 1 month of feeling unsteady with simple things, and 1 year with tough dynamic situations (i.e flying or running over rough ground at night). However there are balance retraining exercises available that can accelerate recovery.
2. Middle ear trouble: typically hearing problems are more protracted than balance problems, although people are more affected by the balance issue. Usually a popping and fluctuant nature, often with a 'sinus' history
3. Meniere's disease. A combination of episodic vertigo and tinnitus, with long term hearing loss and balance disturbance. Often has fullness in the ear but I find this a poor discriminator. Episodes last for hours. Not a great thing for a pilot but it can sometimes be treated with medications that do not affect a medical.
4. Benign Paroxysmal Positioning Vertigo (BPPV). Much more common than most doctors think. Vertigo occurs after head movement in particular positions. Attacks of vertigo should subside within a minute or two of keeping your head upright and still, although the nausea lasts longer. Caused by bits getting lose in the inner ear. EASILY FIXABLE: involves 15min rolling the patient around then various sleeping positions for a week. May occur after head trauma (so called post concussion). Make sure this has been considered given how easy it is to fix. May also remit spontaneously.
5. People with classical migraine can get vertigo without headache sometimes.
6. The other rare stuff and the no idea cases.
Additional stuff.
Non-pulsatile tinnitus without vertigo often has an industrial noise component. Get the best head set and also musicians plugs you can get if affected, before you lose your medical.
Note that I'm not a DAME and you should get professional advice. If the moderator doesn't mind I can recommend people other than myself in Sydney, and if really pushed can ask for names elsewhere in Aust and England.