Ménière’s Disease: How to Understand and Manage Your Condition

Do you feel lightheaded and dizzy, maybe a bit nauseous, whenever you move your head or stand up? Does someone you know experience these sensations? 

Your inner ear plays an important role in how your brain perceives its positioning, but when not functioning properly, it sends false signals that lead to dizziness, vertigo, and a loss of balance. 

Ménière’s disease is among the possible causes of inner ear dysfunctions that lead to the above symptoms and can become debilitating, especially vertigo, having a negative impact on your quality of life. 

According to Dizziness and Balance, Ménière ‘s disease has a prevalence of approximately 200 cases per 100,000 persons in the United States, affecting less than 0.2% of the population; little comfort if you are included within that small percentage. 

ENT Consultants of East Tennessee can help provide relief for individuals experiencing Ménière’s disease by helping you understand what it is, its causes and symptoms, and how to limit its impact through proper management. 

Defining Ménière’s Disease 

French physician, Prosper Ménière, first identified the inner ear disorder that bears his name in 1861. 

The condition is associated with an abnormality in part of the inner ear known as the labyrinth, which fills up with fluid and causes the hair cells in the labyrinth to send false positioning signals to the brain.  

Ménière’s disease usually occurs in only one ear and commonly affects people between the ages of 20 and 60, though the largest demographic within that broader range includes individuals in their 40s and 50s.  

There are variations in the intensity, duration, and frequency of bouts of vertigo and balance issues associated from one person to the next. The triggering of the condition may also vary in each case. 

A good example relates to vertigo flare-ups that occur more frequently during allergy season for individuals who experience stuffiness in their ears, which intensifies the effects of allergies on the Eustachian tube, multiplying the intensity of Ménière’s disease symptoms. 

Typical Causes and Symptoms 

Ménière’s disease involves the buildup of fluid in the labyrinth, but what causes that buildup? 

Unfortunately, researchers have not been able to identify the specific reason for the buildup, but possible causal links to Ménière’s disease have been identified in relation to conditions like: 

The symptoms of a Ménière’s disease flareup may happen without warning and occur daily or infrequently for some individuals. Others might experience pressure in their ear, an earache, tinnitus (a ringing, hissing, buzzing, or humming noise), and/or abnormal hearing as warning signs before a flareup.  

A flareup can last between two and four hours and include symptoms like: 

Hearing returns to normal after a flareup, and extreme fatigue usually follows a flareup. 

The frequency, intensity, and duration of Ménière’s disease attacks usually improve, but tinnitus, hearing loss, balance, and other symptoms can continue between attacks or after the individual is no longer experiencing attacks. 

The Effects of Ménière’s Disease  

Vertigo flare-ups, as a primary symptom of Ménière’s disease, can put you at risk of falling and serious injuries related to it as well as cause accidents while driving and limit your capacity to carry out normal daily living activities.  

Other effects may include depression, anxiety, and isolation as interacting with work colleagues, friends, neighbors, and family becomes more difficult.  

Ongoing tinnitus and hearing loss can become permanent conditions you must deal with even after you are no longer experiencing Ménière’s disease symptoms. 

 Diagnosis and Management 

The specific conditions present in a diagnosis of Ménière’s disease will include: 

Additional elements necessary to correctly identify Ménière’s disease may include the following tests: 

 The management plan developed by your care provider will be based on several criteria, like: 

Several treatment options are considered in the treatment of Ménière’s disease.

Surgical Options 

Severe cases of vertigo and balance issues related to Ménière’s disease may be surgically treated by using various procedures, like: 

Prescription Medications 

Certain prescription medications can help control symptom severity of vertigo and related allergies, fluid buildup, and blood circulation in the inner ear, such as: 

Lifestyle Changes 

Some lifestyle changes may be necessary to reduce Ménière’s disease triggers as well as their frequency or intensity. Common lifestyle changes include eliminating caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, and salt sometimes combined with behavioral therapies to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. 

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