Understanding Ménière’s Disease: 3 Common Symptoms

Hearing & Brain Health

Ménière’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can cause a variety of symptoms, including vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus. It can be a challenging condition to live with, as the symptoms can be unpredictable and debilitating. Here are three common symptoms of Ménière’s disease:

Vertigo

One of the hallmark symptoms of Ménière’s disease is vertigo, which is a sensation of spinning or dizziness. Vertigo attacks can be severe and sudden, causing nausea, vomiting, and difficulty with balance. These attacks can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, and they can be triggered by certain movements or positions.

In this test, you’ll have electrodes placed around your eyes to detect eye movement. This is done because the balance response in the inner ear causes eye movements. Since 2020, the virus has been spreading among more animal species — including dogs, cats, skunks, bears and even seals and porpoises — in scores of countries.

Hearing Loss

Some patients tell us they can gauge their condition is starting again if they notice a change in the sensation of the ‘fullness’. The fullness can also fluctuate with the acuteness of the condition. For some people this sensation may disappear completely,  however for others it can become chronic with the constant feeling of pressure and this can cause considerable distress. In some individuals ‘end stage’ (stage 3) Ménière’s can result in a severe to profound hearing loss. Bilateral Ménière’s is reported in 17% to 50% of affected individuals and can be a cause of bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss.

Hearing loss is another common symptom of Ménière’s disease. This hearing loss is typically fluctuating, meaning it can come and go or vary in severity. People with Ménière’s disease may experience a feeling of fullness in the affected ear, along with muffled or distorted hearing. Over time, this hearing loss can become permanent.

These triggers include stress, overwork, fatigue, emotional distress, additional illnesses, pressure changes, certain foods, and too much salt in the diet. When attacks do occur, vertigo may be relieved temporarily with medications given by mouth, such as meclizine or lorazepam. Nausea and vomiting may be relieved by pills or suppositories containing prochlorperazine. These medications do not help prevent attacks and thus should not be taken on a regular basis but only during acute spells of vertigo and nausea. To relieve symptoms, some doctors also give corticosteroids such as prednisone by mouth or sometimes an injection of the corticosteroid dexamethasone behind the eardrum. Certain medications used to prevent migraines (such as some antidepressants) help some people with Meniere disease.

Tinnitus

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, is also a common symptom of Ménière’s disease. The sounds people hear with tinnitus can vary, ranging from ringing to buzzing, hissing, or roaring. Tinnitus can be constant or intermittent, and it can be particularly bothersome during vertigo attacks or periods of stress.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to see a healthcare provider for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. While there is currently no cure for Ménière’s disease, there are medications, lifestyle changes, and other treatments that can help manage the symptoms and improve quality of life for those living with this condition.

Both nicotine and allergies can make the symptoms of Meniere’s disease worse. It’ll show your doctor whether your problem is caused by an issue in your ear or your brain. In the U.S., this version of the bird flu has been detected in wild birds in every state, as well as commercial poultry operations and backyard flocks. Nationwide, tens of millions of chickens have died from the virus or been killed to stop outbreaks from spreading. But since solar retinopathy doesn’t cause complete blindness, many people with minor cases may have never reported it or even known they had it. The lens of your eye does essentially the same thing when it focuses the light you see onto the retinas at the back of your eye, the American Academy of Ophthalmology explained.

Eliminating certain medications like high blood pressure pills and allergy medications can sometimes help. However, high blood pressure itself may contribute to symptoms. Stress reduction seems to reduce the severity of symptoms.

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