No one’s really sure what causes Meniere’s disease. But it’s difficult to ignore its impact. Some common symptoms of this condition are vertigo, dizziness, ringing in the ears, and hearing loss. Experts aren’t really certain why, but for some reason, fluid can accumulate in the ears and this appears to be the root cause of Meniere’s disease.
So the question is: if a condition doesn’t have an identifiable cause, how can it be treated? The answer is, well, complicated.
Exactly what is Meniere’s disease?
Meniere’s disease is a persistent disorder that affects the inner ear. Symptoms of Meniere’s will grow over time, for many patients, because it’s a progressive disorder. Those symptoms may include:
Unpredictable bouts of vertigo: Unfortunately, there’s no way to determine when these episodes of vertigo will occur or how long they will last.
Tinnitus: It’s fairly common for individuals with Meniere’s disease to experience ringing in the ears or tinnitus, which can range from mild to severe.
Fullness in the ear: This manifests as a sensation of pressure in your ears and is medically referred to as aural fullness.
Hearing loss: Over time, Meniere’s disease can cause a loss of hearing.
If you notice these symptoms, it’s crucial to get an accurate diagnosis. Symptoms of Meniere’s disease can come and go for many individuals. But as time passes, symptoms can become more consistent and obvious.
How is Meniere’s disease treated?
There is no known cure for Menier’s disease which is persistent and progressive. But there are some ways to manage the symptoms.
The following are some of those treatments:
- Positive pressure therapy: There’s a non-invasive technique employed when Meniere’s is particularly challenging to treat. It’s called positive pressure therapy. This treatment entails subjecting the inner ear to positive pressure in order to limit fluid accumulation. Peer review has not, so far, verified the long-term benefits of this method but it does seem promising.
- Surgery: In some instances, surgery is utilized to address Meniere’s. Normally, however, only the vertigo side of the disease is impacted by this surgery. Other Meniere’s symptoms will continue.
- Hearing aid: It might be time to try hearing aids if Meniere’s disease is advancing to the point where your ability to hear is failing. The progression of your hearing loss won’t necessarily be slowed by hearing aids. But it can help keep you socially active which can give a boost to your mental health. Hearing aids can also help you manage the symptoms of tinnitus in a number of ways.
- Medications: In some instances, your doctor will be prescribe anti-dizziness and anti-nausea medications. If those specific symptoms show up, this can be helpful. For example, medications made to help with motion sickness may help you feel less dizzy when a bout of vertigo happens.
- Steroid shots: Injections of certain kinds of steroids can temporarily help alleviate some Meniere’s symptoms, particularly in regards to vertigo.
- Diuretic: A diuretic is another medication alternative that might be prescribed by your physician. The concept here is that the pressure in the inner ear can be minimized by reducing retention of fluid. This is a long-term medication that you’d use instead of one to reduce severe symptoms.
- 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 might be warranted.
Find the correct treatment for you
You should get checked out if suspect you may have Meniere’s disease. Treatments for Meniere’s can sometimes slow the advancement of your condition. More frequently, however, they reduce the effect that Meniere’s will have on your everyday life.