Meniere Disease: Symptoms, Causes and Best Treatment

Meniere disease is an inner ear disorder that leads to vertigo spells where a person experiences a spinning sensation. If a person is suffering from Meniere disease, he/ she may experience a fluid build-up in the inner ear which blocks the vestibular system which is responsible for sending signals to the brain that regulates the balance of the body.

The extra fluid in the inner ear results in sending unclear messages to the brain, thereby resulting in making a person feel dizzy or experience sudden vertigo spells.

The increased pressure in the inner ear leads to recurring episodes of vertigo and may even lead to hearing loss. Meniere Disease can occur in both the ear and either of the one, it entirely depends on the severity of the condition.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms like Hearing loss, tinnitus, fullness in the affected ear, etc. it indicates you are suffering from Meniere disease.

Living with such an ailment makes life difficult while creating hindrance in accomplishing simple activities like walking, running, etc.

If a person is suffering from Meniere’s disease, it becomes quite difficult to accomplish daily and official chores. Sudden bouts of dizziness and ringing sensation in the ear known as tinnitus make it difficult for a person to live with it.

However, there is no possible cure for Meniere’s disease, certain Meniere’s disease treatment & surgeries are designed that helps in easing out Meniere’s disease symptoms. It is advised to seek medical help immediately as soon as you start observing symptoms of Meniere disease.

An expert doctor will carry certain tests that help in examining the accurate cause of Meniere disease. After the complete Meniere’s disease diagnosis, the doctor will suggest the right Meniere’s disease treatment depending on the underlying cause.

Meniere disease is likely to affect anyone irrespective of age and gender. It can occur at any age but is most likely found in people over the age limit of 40 years.

Some patients who are suffering from Vertigo conditions are diagnosed with Meniere’s disease as an underlying cause of vertigo condition.

Symptoms of Meniere’s disease may vary from person to person depending upon the severity of the condition. Some may experience sudden vertigo spells whereas some may experience dizzy spells once in a while. Let’s discuss some of the possible causes of Meniere’s disease.

Causes of Meniere disease

Meniere’s disease is majorly caused due to an abnormal amount of fluid build-up in the inner ear which is known as endolymph. The excessive fluid in the inner ear blocks the signals from transferring from the inner ear to the brain.

The unclear signals received by the brain make the person lose balance along with spinning sensations. Scientifically Meniere’s disease is even known as primary idiopathic Endolymphatic hydrops which refers to abnormal fluid in the inner ear.

Some other less significant causes of Meniere disease are:

1. Head injury or ear injury
2. Infection or inflammation in the inner ear
3. If a person is suffering from any type of allergy it can trigger the condition
4. Excess intake of alcohol and caffeinated beverages
5. Stress and anxiety can lead to Meniere disease
6. Side effects of certain medications
7. Smoking habits
8. Fatigue
9. If you have a family history of Meniere’s disease
10. Severe Migraines

What are the common Meniere disease symptoms?

1. Recurring episodes of vertigo spells

If a person is suffering from Meniere disease he may experience repeated episodes of vertigo spells every now and then. He may feel like he is spinning or the environment is spinning all by itself which in reality is still.

Vertigo spells may last for several minutes to hours depending on the severity of the condition. Nausea and vomiting are often accompanied by vertigo dizziness.

2. Loss of hearing ability or difficulty in hearing

Loss of hearing ability or difficulty in hearing is the common symptom of Meniere’s disease. If you are in the early stages of Meniere’s disease, you may experience a temporary hearing loss that subsides eventually after a short duration. But if the disease is not treated on time and it progresses, it can even result in a permanent disability of hearing loss.

3. Tinnitus

When you experience a ringing, buzzing, whistling or hissing sensation in the ear, it is known as tinnitus. It is one of the common symptoms experienced by patients suffering from Meniere disease.

A person may hear ringing sensation in both the ear and either of the one depending on the severity of the condition. In the earlier stage, the ringing sounds fluctuate and become persistent if not treated on time.

4. Fluid build-up in the inner ear

Fluid build-up in the inner ear is the common symptoms experienced by patients suffering from Meniere’s disease. Some patients may experience pressure on the side of their heads, before the occurrence of vertigo spells and disappear itself as the dizziness subsides.

What is the Best Treatment for Meniere disease?

After Meniere’s disease diagnosis, your doctor will suggest the best Meniere’s disease treatment depending on the underlying cause and the symptoms experienced by the patient.

1. Modification in dietary habits

Once the patient is diagnosed with Meniere disease, he is advised by the doctor to do some alterations in daily diet. A patient suffering from Meniere’s disease is advised to go on a low salt and low caffeine diet.

Doctors recommend patients to reduce their intake of caffeine and salt for early recovery. It helps in alleviating the Meniere disease symptoms at the earliest.

2. Certain medications can help in treating the condition

Doctors may even prescribe certain medications to treat Meniere disease if the condition is severe. Meclizine, Prochlorperazine or Diazepam are some of the Vestibular suppressants medications that are generally prescribed by doctors to reduce the spinning sensation in a patient, which helps in easing out some of Meniere disease symptoms.

3. Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy

If the patient doesn’t respond well to certain medications, then doctors may recommend going for Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy to ease the symptoms of Meniere’s disease as it helps in resolving disequilibrium issues.