Menieres disease

Ear Nose | Otorhinolaryngology | Menieres disease (Disease)


Description

Menieres disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can affect hearing and balance to a varying degree. It is characterized by episodes of vertigo, low pitched tinnitus, and hearing loss. The hearing loss has a fluctuating then permanent nature, meaning that it comes and goes, alternating between ears for some time, then becomes permanent with no return to normal function.

Menieres disease is a syndrome in which a person experiences episodes of spinning vertigo (sense of the room spinning), hearing loss, and tinnitus (ringing in the ear). Between the unpredictable attacks, a person usually does not have any problems or symptoms of the disease. Common symptoms are these: fluctuating hearing loss with distortion of sounds and difficulty with speech discrimination, ringing in the affected ear (tinnitus), a sense of the room spinning (vertigo), a cold sweat, nausea, and vomiting, or generalized weakness during the attack. The episodes are unpredictable and usually last from 1 hour to a few hours, depending on the severity of the disease.

The condition affects people differently; it can range in intensity from being a mild annoyance to a chronic, lifelong disability. Menieres disease can cause severe dizziness, a roaring sound in your ears called tinnitus, hearing loss that comes and goes and the feeling of ear pressure or pain. It usually affects just one ear. It is a common cause of hearing loss.

Causes and Risk factors

Scientists dont yet know the cause. They think that it has to do with the fluid levels or the mixing of fluids in the canals of your inner ear. Symptoms occur suddenly and can happen as often as every day or as seldom as once a year. An attack can be a combination of severe dizziness or vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss lasting several hours.

Diagnosis and Treatment

The diagnosis of the disease is usually based on a careful history and physical examination by a doctor, but other tests may be needed for a definitive diagnosis and to plan treatment options.

There is no cure. However, a person may be able to control symptoms by changing the diet or taking medicine so that ythe body retains less fluid. Severe cases may require surgery. ...