No one’s quite sure what causes Meniere’s disease. But the impacts are hard to underestimate. Ringing in the ears, dizziness, vertigo, and hearing loss are all common symptoms of this condition. Symptoms of Meniere’s disease seem to come from a buildup of fluid in the inner ear, but scientists aren’t really sure what causes that accumulation initially.
So here’s the question: how can you address something that doesn’t seem to have a discernible cause? The answer is, well, complex.
What exactly is Meniere’s disease?
Meniere’s disease is a chronic condition that impacts the inner ear. For many individuals, Meniere’s disease is progressive, meaning symptoms will get worse as time passes. Here are some of those symptoms:
Unpredictable spells of vertigo: Sadly, when these episodes will occur and how long they may last can’t be predicted.
Tinnitus: The severity of this tinnitus may ebb and flow, but it’s not uncommon for those with Meniere’s Disease to have ringing in their ears.
Fullness in the ear: This manifests as a sensation of pressure in your ears and is medically referred to as aural fullness.
Hearing loss: Eventually, Meniere’s disease can cause a loss of hearing.
If you experience these symptoms, it’s essential to receive a definitive diagnosis. Symptoms of Meniere’s disease can appear and disappear for many people. But over time, symptoms may become more consistent and obvious.
How is Meniere’s disease treated?
Meniere’s disease is a progressive and chronic condition for which there is no known cure. But there are some ways to manage the symptoms.
Some of the most prevalent treatments include the following:
- Rehabilitation: When Meniere’s disease is acting up, You can utilize certain physical therapies that can help with balance. If you’re perpetually dizzy or dealing with vertigo, this strategy may be warranted.
- Diuretic: A diuretic is another medication option that might be prescribed by your physician. The concept here is that the pressure in the inner ear can be lessened by decreasing fluid retention. This is a long-term medication that you’d take rather than one to reduce extreme symptoms.
- Surgery: In some cases, surgery is utilized to address Meniere’s. Normally, however, only the vertigo side of the disease is impacted by this surgery. It won’t affect the other symptoms.
- Positive pressure therapy: There’s a non-invasive approach used when Meniere’s is especially hard to manage. Positive pressure therapy is the medical term for this treatment. In order to minimize fluid accumulation, the inner ear is subjected to positive pressure. Peer review has not, as of yet, confirmed the long-term benefits of this method but it does seem promising.
- Hearing aid: As Meniere’s disease progresses and your hearing loss gets worse, you might want to get a hearing aid. The advancement of your hearing loss won’t necessarily be slowed by hearing aids. But it can benefit your mental health by keeping you socially active. There are also several ways hearing aids can help manage tinnitus.
- Medications: Anti-nausea and anti-dizziness medications can be prescribed by your physician in some instances. This can be helpful when those particular symptoms manifest. So, when an episode of dizziness occurs, medication for motion sickness can help decrease that dizziness.
- Steroid shots: Injections of specific types of steroids can temporarily help alleviate some Meniere’s symptoms, particularly in regards to vertigo.
Get the correct treatment for you
If you believe you have Meniere’s disease, you should get examined. The development of Meniere’s disease might be slowed by these treatments. But these treatments more often help you have a better quality of life despite your condition.