No one’s quite certain what causes Meniere’s disease. But it’s hard to overlook its effects. Some common symptoms of this affliction are dizziness, vertigo, ringing in the ears, and hearing loss. Symptoms of Meniere’s disease seem to come from an accumulation of fluid in the inner ear, but researchers aren’t really sure what causes that buildup initially.
So the question is: how can you address something that doesn’t seem to have a discernible cause? It’s a complicated answer.
What exactly is Meniere’s disease?
Meniere’s disease is a persistent condition that impacts the inner ear. Symptoms of Meniere’s will grow over time, for many patients, because it’s a progressive disease. Those symptoms could include:
Unpredictable spells of vertigo: Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell when these attacks of vertigo will occur or how long they will last.
Tinnitus: The degree of this tinnitus could ebb and flow, but it’s not uncommon for those with Meniere’s Disease to experience ringing in their ears.
Fullness in the ear: This is experienced as a sensation of pressure in your ears and is medically referred to as aural fullness.
Hearing loss: Over time, Meniere’s disease can result in a loss of hearing.
If you experience these symptoms, it’s crucial to get an accurate diagnosis. For many individuals with Meniere’s, symptoms are irregular. But over time, symptoms may become more regular and obvious.
Treatment for Menier’s disease
Meniere’s disease is a progressive and chronic condition for which there is no known cure. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t any way to treat it.
Some of the most prevalent treatments include the following:
- Medications: Anti-nausea and anti-dizziness medications can be prescribed by your physician in some instances. This can help when those specific symptoms appear. For example, medications created to help with motion sickness could help you feel less dizzy when an episode of vertigo takes place.
- Rehabilitation: When Meniere’s disease is flaring up, You can employ certain physical therapies that can help with balance. This approach may be a practical approach if you’re experiencing regular dizziness or vertigo.
- Surgery: Occasionally, Meniere’s disease can be addressed with surgery. Typically, however, only the vertigo part of the disease is impacted by this surgery. Other Meniere’s symptoms will continue.
- Hearing aid: It might be time to get hearing aids if Meniere’s disease is progressing to the point where your ability to hear is faltering. The progression of your hearing loss won’t necessarily be slowed down by hearing aids. But it can benefit your mental health by keeping you socially engaged. Hearing aids can also help you manage the symptoms of tinnitus in numerous ways.
- Steroid shots: Some symptoms of Meniere’s, particularly vertigo, can be temporarily alleviated with injections of specific steroids.
- Diuretic: Another form of medication that your physician might prescribe is a diuretic. The idea here is that the pressure in the inner ear can be minimized by reducing fluid retention. This is a long-term medication that you’d use instead of one to minimize extreme symptoms.
- Positive pressure therapy: When Meniere’s disease is especially difficult to treat, this non-invasive strategy can be utilized. Positive pressure therapy is the medical name for this therapy. As a way to minimize fluid buildup, the inner ear is subjected to positive pressure. Peer review has not, as of yet, confirmed the long-term advantages of this approach but it does seem promising.
The key is finding the treatment that’s right for you
If you believe you have Meniere’s disease, you should get examined. Treatments for Meniere’s can sometimes reduce the progress of your condition. But these treatments more often help you have a better quality of life in spite of your condition.