The cause of Meniere’s isn’t really understood. But the impacts are hard to dismiss. Ringing in the ears, vertigo, dizziness, and hearing loss are all typical symptoms of this condition. Experts aren’t really sure why, but for some reason, fluid can build up in the ears and this seems to be the underlying cause of Meniere’s disease.
So here’s the question: how can you address something that doesn’t appear to have a discernible cause? It’s a complex answer.
What exactly is Meniere’s disease?
Meniere’s disease is a persistent disorder that impacts the inner ear. For many people, Meniere’s disease is progressive, meaning symptoms will grow worse as time passes. Those symptoms may include:
Unpredictable spells of vertigo: Regrettably, there’s no way to tell when these attacks of vertigo will strike or how long they could last.
Tinnitus: It’s fairly common for people with Meniere’s disease to have ringing in the ears or tinnitus, which can range from mild to severe.
Fullness in the ear: This symptom is medically known as aural fullness, the feeling of pressure in your ear.
Hearing loss: Over time, Meniere’s disease can result in a loss of hearing.
It’s critical that you get an accurate diagnosis if you’re experiencing these symptoms. Symptoms of Meniere’s disease can appear and disappear for many individuals. But over time, symptoms may become more consistent 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 aren’t any treatments.
The following are some of those treatments:
- Positive pressure therapy: When Meniere’s disease is especially hard to treat, this non-invasive technique can be employed. Positive pressure therapy is the medical name for this therapy. In order to limit fluid accumulation, the inner ear is subjected to positive pressure. While positive pressure therapy is encouraging, the long-term benefits of this method have yet to be backed up by peer-reviewed studies.
- Diuretic: A diuretic is another medication option that may be prescribed by your doctor. The idea here is that the pressure in the inner ear can be lessened by reducing fluid retention. This medication is not used to manage acute symptoms but instead is used long-term.
- Rehabilitation: When Meniere’s disease is acting up, You can employ certain physical therapies that can help with balance. If you’re perpetually dizzy or dealing with vertigo, this approach might be warranted.
- Medications: Anti-nausea and anti-dizziness medications can be prescribed by your physician in some cases. If those specific symptoms appear, this can be helpful. So, when a bout of dizziness happens, medication for motion sickness can help relieve that dizziness.
- Surgery: In some situations, surgery is utilized to treat Meniere’s. Typically, however, only the vertigo part of the disease is impacted by this surgery. Other Meniere’s symptoms will continue.
- Steroid shots: Some symptoms of Meniere’s, particularly vertigo, can be temporarily alleviated with injections of specific steroids.
- Hearing aid: As Meniere’s disease advances 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 down by hearing aids. But it can help your mental health by keeping you socially engaged. There are also several ways hearing aids can help deal with tinnitus.
The key is getting the treatment that’s best for you
You should get an exam if suspect you may have Meniere’s disease. The advancement of Meniere’s disease may be slowed down by these treatments. But these treatments more often help you have a greater quality of life in spite of your condition.