The Society also has a very successful penpal/e-pal and contact network which are fantastic ways to get in touch with others to share experiences and offer mutual support. Coping with a chronic illness is made more difficult if you are excessively stressed. High levels of stress are often linked with the onset of a vertigo attack. It is therefore very important to manage stress and, if necessary, adjust your lifestyle to minimise stressful influences. By learning to cope with the dizziness you can continue to enjoy a full and active life.
There is ongoing research and debate about the link between stress, anxiety, and Ménière’s disease. Ménière’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can cause vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus, and a feeling of fullness in the ear. While the exact cause of Ménière’s disease is not fully understood, it is believed to be related to fluid buildup in the inner ear.
When prescribing hypnotic drugs to Ménière’s patients, the possibility should be kept in mind that such drugs could have the effect of increasing the severity of sleep disturbances. Decreased deep sleep with a significantly high arousal index is a striking new finding in Ménière’s disease. The results suggest that remarkable arousal without deep sleep may be one reason that people feel their sleep is inadequate.
Anderson and Harris[14] evaluated the impact of MD on the QOL using several general outcome instruments. They concluded that all outcome instruments indicated that MD is serious in its physical and mental health consequences on the sufferers and that the days with acute episodes of MD symptoms are significantly worse than the days without such symptoms. Sympathetic nerves are distributed in the arterioles of the inner ear (38).
See your healthcare provider if you have symptoms of Meniere’s disease. So, it’s important to find out what’s causing your symptoms as soon as possible. Many clinicians recommend to reduce the intake of salt, caffeine and alcohol for the therapy of Meniere’s disease. Recently other possible dietary modifications have been linked to Meniere’s disease’s treatment.
Stress and anxiety
Corticosteroids have been shown to have a lower risk of hearing damage [15,16] but less efficacy in vertigo attack control compared to gentamicin [17,18]. In surveys, the most common symptoms reported were trouble sleeping and feeling anxiety or nervous. The number of people noting those symptoms went up and down in surveys given over time. Depression and loneliness were less common than nervousness or sleep problems, but more consistent across surveys given over time.
Migraine is actually a condition of altered sensation and can happen at any age and in any part of the body. Young babies may present with migraine in the form of cyclical vomiting. Children present with abdominal migraine having tummy pains and diarrhoea, and adults can also have abdominal migraine, but we know it by a different name – irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Migraine can also present as motion sickness, facial pain and joint pains without any headache at all.
Stress and anxiety are known to have negative effects on the body, including weakening the immune system, raising blood pressure, and disrupting sleep patterns. Some researchers believe that chronic stress and anxiety may also play a role in triggering or exacerbating Ménière’s disease. Stress can lead to an increase in cortisol levels, which can affect the body’s ability to regulate fluid balance in the inner ear.
Impact on symptoms
While stress and anxiety may not directly cause Ménière’s disease, they can worsen symptoms and trigger episodes of vertigo and imbalance. Individuals with Ménière’s disease often report that stress and anxiety can make their symptoms more severe and frequent. Managing stress through relaxation techniques, therapy, and lifestyle changes may help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with Ménière’s disease.
In conclusion, while the exact relationship between stress, anxiety, and Ménière’s disease is still being studied, it is clear that managing stress and anxiety can have a positive impact on the overall well-being of individuals with this condition. By taking steps to reduce stress and anxiety levels, individuals may be able to better manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
