Meniere's disease

Ménière's Disease

Definition

Ménière's disease is a condition characterized by recurrent vertigo (dizziness), hearing loss, and tinnitus (a roaring, buzzing or ringing sound in the ears).

Description

Ménière's disease was named for the French physician Prosper Ménière, who first described the illness in 1861. It is an abnormality within the inner ear. A fluid called endolymph moves in the membranous labyrinth or semicircular canals within the bony labyrinth inside the inner ear. When the head or body moves, the endolymph moves, causing nerve receptors in the membranous labyrinth to send signals to the brain about the body's motion. A change in the volume of the endolymph fluid, or swelling or rupture of the membranous labyrinth, is thought to result in Ménière's disease symptoms.

Causes and symptoms

Causes

The cause of Ménière's disease is unknown as of 2002; however, scientists are studying several possible causes, including noise pollution, viral infections, or alterations in the patterns of blood flow in the structures of the inner ear. Since Ménière's disease sometimes runs in families, researchers are also looking into genetic factors as possible causes of the disorder.One area of research that shows promise is the possible relationship between Ménière's disease and migraine headache. Dr. Ménière himself suggested the possibility of a link, but early studies yielded conflicting results. A rigorous German study published in late 2002 reported that the lifetime prevalence of migraine was 56% in patients diagnosed with Ménière's disease as compared to 25% for controls. The researchers noted that further work is necessary to determine the exact nature of the relationship between the two disorders.A study published in late 2002 reported that there is a significant increase in the number of CD4 cells in the blood of patients having an acute attack of Ménière's disease. CD4 cells are a subtype of T cells, which are produced in the thymus gland and regulate the immune system's response to infected or malignant cells. Further research is needed to clarify the role of these cells in Ménière's disease.Another possible factor in the development of Ménière's disease is the loss of myelin from the cells surrounding the vestibular nerve fibers. Myelin is a whitish fatty material in the cell membrane of the Schwann cells that form a sheath around certain nerve cells. It acts like an electrical insulator. A team of researchers at the University of Virginia reported in 2002 that the vestibular nerve cells in patients with unilateral Ménière's disease are demyelinated; that is, they have lost their protective "insulation." The researchers are investigating the possibility that a viral disease or disorder of the immune system is responsible for the demyelination of the vestibular nerve cells.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Ménière's disease are associated with a change in fluid volume within the labyrinth of the inner ear. Symptoms include severe dizziness or vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, and the sensation of pain or pressure in the affected ear. Symptoms appear suddenly, last up to several hours, and can occur as often as daily to as infrequently as once a year. A typical attack includes vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss; however, some individuals with Ménière's disease may experience a single symptom, like an occasional bout of slight dizziness or periodic, intense ringing in the ear. Attacks of severe vertigo can force the sufferer to have to sit or lie down, and may be accompanied by headache, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Hearing tends to recover between attacks, but becomes progressively worse over time.Ménière's disease usually starts between the ages of 20 and 50 years; however, it is not uncommon for elderly people to develop the disease without a previous history of symptoms. Ménière's disease affects men and women in equal numbers. In most patients only one ear is affected but in about 15% both ears are involved.

Diagnosis

An estimated 3-5 million people in the United States have Ménière's disease, and almost 100,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Diagnosis is based on medical history, physical examination, hearing and balance tests, and medical imaging with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Several types of tests may be used to diagnose the disease and to evaluation the extent of hearing loss. In patients with Ménière's disease, audiometric tests (hearing tests) usually indicate a sensory type of hearing loss in the affected ear. Speech discrimination or the ability to distinguish between words that sound alike is often diminished. In about 50% of patients, the balance function is reduced in the affected ear. An electronystagnograph (ENG) may be used to evaluate balance. Since the eyes and ears work together through the nervous system to coordinate balance, measurement of eye movements can be used to test the balance system. For this test, the patient is seated in a darkened room and recording electrodes, similar to those used with a heart monitor, are placed near the eyes. Warm and cool water or air are gently introduced into the each ear canal and eye movements are recorded.Another test that may be used is an electrocochleograph (EcoG), which can measure increased inner ear fluid pressure.

Treatment

There is no cure for Ménière's disease, but medication, surgery, and dietary and behavioral changes, can help control or improve the symptoms.

Medications

Symptoms of Ménière's disease may be treated with a variety of oral medicine or through injections. Antihistamines, like diphenhydramine, meclizine, and cyclizine can be prescribed to sedate the vestibular system. A barbiturate medication like pentobarbital may be used to completely sedate the patient and relieve the vertigo. Anticholinergic drugs, like atropine or scopolamine, can help minimize nausea and vomiting. Diazepam has been found to be particularly effective for relief of vertigo and nausea in Ménière's disease. There have been some reports of successful control of vertigo after antibiotics (gentamicin or streptomycin) or a steroid medication (dexamethasone) are injected directly into the inner ear. Some researchers have found that gentamicin is effective in relieving tinnitus as well as vertigo.A newer medication that appears to be effective in treating the vertigo associated with Ménière's disease is flunarizine, which is sold under the trade name Sibelium. Flunarizine is a calcium channel blocker and anticonvulsant that is presently used to treat Parkinson's disease, migraine headache, and other circulatory disorders that affect the brain.

Surgical procedures

Surgical procedures may be recommended if the vertigo attacks are frequent, severe, or disabling and cannot be controlled by other treatments. The most common surgical treatment is insertion of a small tube or shunt to drain some of the fluid from the canal. This treatment usually preserves hearing and controls vertigo in about one-half to two-thirds of cases, but it is not a permanent cure in all patients.The vestibular nerve leads from the inner ear to the brain and is responsible for conducting nerve impulses related to balance. A vestibular neurectomy is a procedure where this nerve is cut so the distorted impulses causing dizziness no longer reach the brain. This procedure permanently cures the majority of patients and hearing is preserved in most cases. There is a slight risk that hearing or facial muscle control will be affected.A labyrinthectomy is a surgical procedure in which the balance and hearing mechanism in the inner ear are destroyed on one side. This procedure is considered when the patient has poor hearing in the affected ear. Labyrinthectomy results in the highest rates of control of vertigo attacks, however, it also causes complete deafness in the affected ear.

Alternative treatment

Changes in diet and behavior are sometimes recommended. Eliminating caffeine, alcohol, and salt may relieve the frequency and intensity of attacks in some people with Ménière's disease. Reducing stress levels and eliminating tobacco use may also help.Acupuncture is an alternative treatment that has been shown to help patients with Ménière's disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) lists Ménière's disease as one of 104 conditions that can be treated effectively with acupuncture.

Prognosis

Ménière's disease is a complex and unpredictable condition for which there is no cure. The vertigo associated with the disease can generally be managed or eliminated with medications and surgery. Hearing tends to become worse over time, and some of the surgical procedures recommended, in fact, cause deafness.

Prevention

Since the cause of Ménière's disease is unknown as of 2002, there are no current strategies for its prevention. Research continues on the environmental and biological factors that may cause Ménière's disease or induce an attack, as well as on the physiological components of the fluid and labyrinth system involved in hearing and balance. Preventive strategies and more effective treatment should become evident once these mechanisms are better understood.

Key terms

Myelin — A whitish fatty substance that acts like an electrical insulator around certain nerves in the peripheral nervous system. It is thought that the loss of the myelin surrounding the vestibular nerves may influence the development of Ménière's disease.T cell — A type of white blood cell produced in the thymus gland that regulates the immune system's response to diseased or malignant cells. It is possible that a subcategory of T cells known as CD4 cells plays a role in Ménière's disease.Tinnitus — A roaring, buzzing or ringing sound in the ears.Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) — A treatment in which a mild electrical current is passed through electrodes on the skin to stimulate nerves and block pain signals.Vertigo — The medical term for dizziness or a spinning sensation.

Resources

Books

Beers, Mark H., MD, and Robert Berkow, MD, editors. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories, 2004.Pelletier, Kenneth R., MD. The Best Alternative Medicine, Part II. "CAM Therapies for Specific Conditions: Ménière's Disease." New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002.

Periodicals

Ballester, M., P. Liard, D. Vibert, and R. Hausler. "Ménière's Disease in the Elderly." Otology and Neurotology 23 (January 2002): 73-78.Corvera, J., G. Corvera-Behar, V. Lapilover, and A. Ysunza. "Objective Evaluation of the Effect of Flunarizine on Vestibular Neuritis." Otology and Neurotology 23 (November 2002): 933-937.Friberg, U., and H. Rask-Andersen. "Vascular Occlusion in the Endolymphatic Sac in Ménière's Disease." Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology 111 (March 2002): 237-245.Fung, K., Y. Xie, S. F. Hall, et al. "Genetic Basis of Familial Ménière's Disease." Journal of Otolaryngology 31 (February 2002): 1-4.Ghosh, S., A. K. Gupta, and S. S. Mann. "Can Electrocochleography in Ménière's Disease Be Noninvasive?" Journal of Otolaryngology 31 (December 2002): 371-375.Mamikoglu, B., R. J. Wiet, T. Hain, and I. J. Check. "Increased CD4+ T cells During Acute Attack of Ménière's Disease." Acta Otolaryngologica 122 (December 2002): 857-860.Radtke, A., T. Lempert, M. A. Gresty, et al. "Migraine and Ménière's Disease: Is There a Link?" Neurology 59 (December 10, 2002): 1700-1704.Spencer, R. F., A. Sismanis, J. K. Kilpatrick, and W. T. Shaia. "Demyelination of Vestibular Nerve Axons in Unilateral Ménière's Disease." Ear, Nose and Throat Journal 81 (November 2002): 785-789.Steenerson, Ronald L., and Gaye W. Cronin. "Treatment of Tinnitus with Electrical Stimulation." Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 121 (November 1999): 511-513.Yetiser, S., and M. Kertmen. "Intratympanic Gentamicin in Ménière's Disease: The Impact on Tinnitus." International Journal of Audiology 41 (September 2002): 363-370.

Organizations

American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Inc. One Prince St., Alexandria VA 22314-3357. (703) 836-4444. http://www.entnet.org.Ménière's Network. 2000 Church St., P.O. Box 111, Nashville, TN 37236. (800) 545-4327. http://www.healthy.net/pan/cso/cioi/mn.htm.On-Balance, A Support Group for People with Ménière's Disease. http://www.midwestear.com/onbal.htm.Vestibular Disorders Association. P.O. Box 4467, Portland, OR 97208-4467. (800) 837-8428.

Meniere's disease

[mĕ-nyārz´] a disorder of the labyrinth" >labyrinth of the inner ear, believed to result from dilation of the lymphatic channels in the cochlea. Called also labyrinthine vertigo; sometimes spelled Menière's or Ménière's. In about 90 per cent of cases only one ear is affected. The usual symptoms are tinnitus, heightened sensitivity to loud sounds, progressive hearing loss, headache, and vertigo. In the acute stage there may be severe nausea with vomiting, profuse sweating, disabling dizziness, and nystagmus. Some attacks last only minutes, and others continue for hours; they may occur frequently or only several weeks apart.
The disease usually lasts a few years, with progressive loss of hearing in the affected ear; sometimes the symptoms stop before all hearing is lost. If loss of hearing in the affected ear does become complete, nausea symptoms are likely to disappear. Menière's disease sometimes develops after an injury to the head or infection of the middle ear, but most cases have no apparent cause. It is most common among men between the ages of 40 and 60.
A low salt diet, elimination or restriction of fluids, and vasodilating drugs are used to treat it. Sedatives are usually ordered to promote sleep and rest. If the ringing sensation becomes too disturbing to the patient, it may be masked (for example, by music piped in through earphones) to make sleeping easier. Surgical treatment involves relief from accumulation of inner ear fluid in the endolymphatic sac. Procedures may be directed toward relief of pressure by the bony structures surrounding the sac, or toward opening the sac and diverting the flow of endolymph by means of a shunt to the mastoid bone or to the subarachnoid space.

Ménière's disease

(mān-yârz′)n. A pathological condition of the inner ear characterized by dizziness, ringing in the ears, and progressive loss of hearing.

Ménière's disease

Endolymphatic hydrops; hydrops Neurology An idiopathic inner ear disorder that can affect both hearing and balance, causing vertigo, profound hearing loss in one or more ears, tinnitus, and a sensation of fullness in the ear Etiology initial hearing loss Head trauma (acoustic and physical), viral labyrinthitis (mumps, influenza), mastoiditis, meningitis, diphtheria, measles, idiopathic Management Dehydrating agents–eg, furosemide, improve the vestibular response of the affected ear and form the basis of the lasix test; labyrinthectomy

Ménière's disease

A usually progressive, episodic middle ear disease caused by an increase in the fluid pressure within the LABYRINTH and featuring a combination of dizziness (VERTIGO), nausea, variable hearing loss, a sense of fullness in the head and singing in the ears (TINNITUS). During episodes of vertigo the deafness and tinnitus temporarily increase. Treatment is mainly that of the symptoms but in some cases surgery is advised to try to control the pressure. Vertigo can also be relieved by removing the balancing mechanism on one side (LABYRINTHECTOMY) but this causes total deafness on that side. (Prosper Ménière, 1799–1862, French physician).

Patient discussion about Meniere's disease

Q. What treatments are other using for Meniere's disease? I have tried the low salt diet. Curious to know what others have tried.A. At the present time there is no cure for Meniere's disease, but there are ways to manage the condition and help you control symptoms. Treatment for Meniere's disease falls into the following categories:
1. Diet
2. Medication: including antihistamines, anticholinergics, steroids, and diuretics.
3. Surgery- in extreme cases
Doctors may recommend vestibular training, methods for dealing with tinnitus, stress reduction, hearing aids to deal with hearing loss, and medication to prevent nausea and symptoms of vertigo.

Q. I suffer from menieres disease. can someone tell me about the surgical treatment I can have for it? I suffer from menieres disease for the last decade or so. I have taken off my diet almost all the salt, I stopped with coffee and alcohol and I stopped smoking at all.Still i have attacks of the disease each month and the vertigo is just getting worse.I know that there is a surgical treatment but is it any good? I never met someone who did this surgery. can someone that did this surgery tell me a little about it?A. I went the surgery 5 years ago. Before it I had menieres disease for almost two decades. I felt crippled from this horrible situation. after the surgery I lost my hearing in the ear but the vertigo is gone.
Its a hard decision but if you are not sure about this surgery you can always do it later, so don't rush into it before you are completely ready to take the risks.

More discussions about Meniere's disease

单词	meniere's disease
释义	DictionarySeeMénière's disease Meniere's disease Ménière's Disease Definition Ménière's disease is a condition characterized by recurrent vertigo (dizziness), hearing loss, and tinnitus (a roaring, buzzing or ringing sound in the ears). Description Ménière's disease was named for the French physician Prosper Ménière, who first described the illness in 1861. It is an abnormality within the inner ear. A fluid called endolymph moves in the membranous labyrinth or semicircular canals within the bony labyrinth inside the inner ear. When the head or body moves, the endolymph moves, causing nerve receptors in the membranous labyrinth to send signals to the brain about the body's motion. A change in the volume of the endolymph fluid, or swelling or rupture of the membranous labyrinth, is thought to result in Ménière's disease symptoms. Causes and symptoms Causes The cause of Ménière's disease is unknown as of 2002; however, scientists are studying several possible causes, including noise pollution, viral infections, or alterations in the patterns of blood flow in the structures of the inner ear. Since Ménière's disease sometimes runs in families, researchers are also looking into genetic factors as possible causes of the disorder.One area of research that shows promise is the possible relationship between Ménière's disease and migraine headache. Dr. Ménière himself suggested the possibility of a link, but early studies yielded conflicting results. A rigorous German study published in late 2002 reported that the lifetime prevalence of migraine was 56% in patients diagnosed with Ménière's disease as compared to 25% for controls. The researchers noted that further work is necessary to determine the exact nature of the relationship between the two disorders.A study published in late 2002 reported that there is a significant increase in the number of CD4 cells in the blood of patients having an acute attack of Ménière's disease. CD4 cells are a subtype of T cells, which are produced in the thymus gland and regulate the immune system's response to infected or malignant cells. Further research is needed to clarify the role of these cells in Ménière's disease.Another possible factor in the development of Ménière's disease is the loss of myelin from the cells surrounding the vestibular nerve fibers. Myelin is a whitish fatty material in the cell membrane of the Schwann cells that form a sheath around certain nerve cells. It acts like an electrical insulator. A team of researchers at the University of Virginia reported in 2002 that the vestibular nerve cells in patients with unilateral Ménière's disease are demyelinated; that is, they have lost their protective "insulation." The researchers are investigating the possibility that a viral disease or disorder of the immune system is responsible for the demyelination of the vestibular nerve cells. Symptoms The symptoms of Ménière's disease are associated with a change in fluid volume within the labyrinth of the inner ear. Symptoms include severe dizziness or vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, and the sensation of pain or pressure in the affected ear. Symptoms appear suddenly, last up to several hours, and can occur as often as daily to as infrequently as once a year. A typical attack includes vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss; however, some individuals with Ménière's disease may experience a single symptom, like an occasional bout of slight dizziness or periodic, intense ringing in the ear. Attacks of severe vertigo can force the sufferer to have to sit or lie down, and may be accompanied by headache, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Hearing tends to recover between attacks, but becomes progressively worse over time.Ménière's disease usually starts between the ages of 20 and 50 years; however, it is not uncommon for elderly people to develop the disease without a previous history of symptoms. Ménière's disease affects men and women in equal numbers. In most patients only one ear is affected but in about 15% both ears are involved. Diagnosis An estimated 3-5 million people in the United States have Ménière's disease, and almost 100,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Diagnosis is based on medical history, physical examination, hearing and balance tests, and medical imaging with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Several types of tests may be used to diagnose the disease and to evaluation the extent of hearing loss. In patients with Ménière's disease, audiometric tests (hearing tests) usually indicate a sensory type of hearing loss in the affected ear. Speech discrimination or the ability to distinguish between words that sound alike is often diminished. In about 50% of patients, the balance function is reduced in the affected ear. An electronystagnograph (ENG) may be used to evaluate balance. Since the eyes and ears work together through the nervous system to coordinate balance, measurement of eye movements can be used to test the balance system. For this test, the patient is seated in a darkened room and recording electrodes, similar to those used with a heart monitor, are placed near the eyes. Warm and cool water or air are gently introduced into the each ear canal and eye movements are recorded.Another test that may be used is an electrocochleograph (EcoG), which can measure increased inner ear fluid pressure. Treatment There is no cure for Ménière's disease, but medication, surgery, and dietary and behavioral changes, can help control or improve the symptoms. Medications Symptoms of Ménière's disease may be treated with a variety of oral medicine or through injections. Antihistamines, like diphenhydramine, meclizine, and cyclizine can be prescribed to sedate the vestibular system. A barbiturate medication like pentobarbital may be used to completely sedate the patient and relieve the vertigo. Anticholinergic drugs, like atropine or scopolamine, can help minimize nausea and vomiting. Diazepam has been found to be particularly effective for relief of vertigo and nausea in Ménière's disease. There have been some reports of successful control of vertigo after antibiotics (gentamicin or streptomycin) or a steroid medication (dexamethasone) are injected directly into the inner ear. Some researchers have found that gentamicin is effective in relieving tinnitus as well as vertigo.A newer medication that appears to be effective in treating the vertigo associated with Ménière's disease is flunarizine, which is sold under the trade name Sibelium. Flunarizine is a calcium channel blocker and anticonvulsant that is presently used to treat Parkinson's disease, migraine headache, and other circulatory disorders that affect the brain. Surgical procedures Surgical procedures may be recommended if the vertigo attacks are frequent, severe, or disabling and cannot be controlled by other treatments. The most common surgical treatment is insertion of a small tube or shunt to drain some of the fluid from the canal. This treatment usually preserves hearing and controls vertigo in about one-half to two-thirds of cases, but it is not a permanent cure in all patients.The vestibular nerve leads from the inner ear to the brain and is responsible for conducting nerve impulses related to balance. A vestibular neurectomy is a procedure where this nerve is cut so the distorted impulses causing dizziness no longer reach the brain. This procedure permanently cures the majority of patients and hearing is preserved in most cases. There is a slight risk that hearing or facial muscle control will be affected.A labyrinthectomy is a surgical procedure in which the balance and hearing mechanism in the inner ear are destroyed on one side. This procedure is considered when the patient has poor hearing in the affected ear. Labyrinthectomy results in the highest rates of control of vertigo attacks, however, it also causes complete deafness in the affected ear. Alternative treatment Changes in diet and behavior are sometimes recommended. Eliminating caffeine, alcohol, and salt may relieve the frequency and intensity of attacks in some people with Ménière's disease. Reducing stress levels and eliminating tobacco use may also help.Acupuncture is an alternative treatment that has been shown to help patients with Ménière's disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) lists Ménière's disease as one of 104 conditions that can be treated effectively with acupuncture. Prognosis Ménière's disease is a complex and unpredictable condition for which there is no cure. The vertigo associated with the disease can generally be managed or eliminated with medications and surgery. Hearing tends to become worse over time, and some of the surgical procedures recommended, in fact, cause deafness. Prevention Since the cause of Ménière's disease is unknown as of 2002, there are no current strategies for its prevention. Research continues on the environmental and biological factors that may cause Ménière's disease or induce an attack, as well as on the physiological components of the fluid and labyrinth system involved in hearing and balance. Preventive strategies and more effective treatment should become evident once these mechanisms are better understood. Key terms Myelin — A whitish fatty substance that acts like an electrical insulator around certain nerves in the peripheral nervous system. It is thought that the loss of the myelin surrounding the vestibular nerves may influence the development of Ménière's disease.T cell — A type of white blood cell produced in the thymus gland that regulates the immune system's response to diseased or malignant cells. It is possible that a subcategory of T cells known as CD4 cells plays a role in Ménière's disease.Tinnitus — A roaring, buzzing or ringing sound in the ears.Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) — A treatment in which a mild electrical current is passed through electrodes on the skin to stimulate nerves and block pain signals.Vertigo — The medical term for dizziness or a spinning sensation. Resources Books Beers, Mark H., MD, and Robert Berkow, MD, editors. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories, 2004.Pelletier, Kenneth R., MD. The Best Alternative Medicine, Part II. "CAM Therapies for Specific Conditions: Ménière's Disease." New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002. Periodicals Ballester, M., P. Liard, D. Vibert, and R. Hausler. "Ménière's Disease in the Elderly." Otology and Neurotology 23 (January 2002): 73-78.Corvera, J., G. Corvera-Behar, V. Lapilover, and A. Ysunza. "Objective Evaluation of the Effect of Flunarizine on Vestibular Neuritis." Otology and Neurotology 23 (November 2002): 933-937.Friberg, U., and H. Rask-Andersen. "Vascular Occlusion in the Endolymphatic Sac in Ménière's Disease." Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology 111 (March 2002): 237-245.Fung, K., Y. Xie, S. F. Hall, et al. "Genetic Basis of Familial Ménière's Disease." Journal of Otolaryngology 31 (February 2002): 1-4.Ghosh, S., A. K. Gupta, and S. S. Mann. "Can Electrocochleography in Ménière's Disease Be Noninvasive?" Journal of Otolaryngology 31 (December 2002): 371-375.Mamikoglu, B., R. J. Wiet, T. Hain, and I. J. Check. "Increased CD4+ T cells During Acute Attack of Ménière's Disease." Acta Otolaryngologica 122 (December 2002): 857-860.Radtke, A., T. Lempert, M. A. Gresty, et al. "Migraine and Ménière's Disease: Is There a Link?" Neurology 59 (December 10, 2002): 1700-1704.Spencer, R. F., A. Sismanis, J. K. Kilpatrick, and W. T. Shaia. "Demyelination of Vestibular Nerve Axons in Unilateral Ménière's Disease." Ear, Nose and Throat Journal 81 (November 2002): 785-789.Steenerson, Ronald L., and Gaye W. Cronin. "Treatment of Tinnitus with Electrical Stimulation." Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 121 (November 1999): 511-513.Yetiser, S., and M. Kertmen. "Intratympanic Gentamicin in Ménière's Disease: The Impact on Tinnitus." International Journal of Audiology 41 (September 2002): 363-370. Organizations American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Inc. One Prince St., Alexandria VA 22314-3357. (703) 836-4444. http://www.entnet.org.Ménière's Network. 2000 Church St., P.O. Box 111, Nashville, TN 37236. (800) 545-4327. http://www.healthy.net/pan/cso/cioi/mn.htm.On-Balance, A Support Group for People with Ménière's Disease. http://www.midwestear.com/onbal.htm.Vestibular Disorders Association. P.O. Box 4467, Portland, OR 97208-4467. (800) 837-8428. Meniere's disease [mĕ-nyārz´] a disorder of the labyrinth" >labyrinth of the inner ear, believed to result from dilation of the lymphatic channels in the cochlea. Called also labyrinthine vertigo; sometimes spelled Menière's or Ménière's. In about 90 per cent of cases only one ear is affected. The usual symptoms are tinnitus, heightened sensitivity to loud sounds, progressive hearing loss, headache, and vertigo. In the acute stage there may be severe nausea with vomiting, profuse sweating, disabling dizziness, and nystagmus. Some attacks last only minutes, and others continue for hours; they may occur frequently or only several weeks apart. The disease usually lasts a few years, with progressive loss of hearing in the affected ear; sometimes the symptoms stop before all hearing is lost. If loss of hearing in the affected ear does become complete, nausea symptoms are likely to disappear. Menière's disease sometimes develops after an injury to the head or infection of the middle ear, but most cases have no apparent cause. It is most common among men between the ages of 40 and 60. A low salt diet, elimination or restriction of fluids, and vasodilating drugs are used to treat it. Sedatives are usually ordered to promote sleep and rest. If the ringing sensation becomes too disturbing to the patient, it may be masked (for example, by music piped in through earphones) to make sleeping easier. Surgical treatment involves relief from accumulation of inner ear fluid in the endolymphatic sac. Procedures may be directed toward relief of pressure by the bony structures surrounding the sac, or toward opening the sac and diverting the flow of endolymph by means of a shunt to the mastoid bone or to the subarachnoid space. Ménière's disease (mān-yârz′)n. A pathological condition of the inner ear characterized by dizziness, ringing in the ears, and progressive loss of hearing. Ménière's disease Endolymphatic hydrops; hydrops Neurology An idiopathic inner ear disorder that can affect both hearing and balance, causing vertigo, profound hearing loss in one or more ears, tinnitus, and a sensation of fullness in the ear Etiology initial hearing loss Head trauma (acoustic and physical), viral labyrinthitis (mumps, influenza), mastoiditis, meningitis, diphtheria, measles, idiopathic Management Dehydrating agents–eg, furosemide, improve the vestibular response of the affected ear and form the basis of the lasix test; labyrinthectomy Ménière's disease A usually progressive, episodic middle ear disease caused by an increase in the fluid pressure within the LABYRINTH and featuring a combination of dizziness (VERTIGO), nausea, variable hearing loss, a sense of fullness in the head and singing in the ears (TINNITUS). During episodes of vertigo the deafness and tinnitus temporarily increase. Treatment is mainly that of the symptoms but in some cases surgery is advised to try to control the pressure. Vertigo can also be relieved by removing the balancing mechanism on one side (LABYRINTHECTOMY) but this causes total deafness on that side. (Prosper Ménière, 1799–1862, French physician). Patient discussion about Meniere's disease Q. What treatments are other using for Meniere's disease? I have tried the low salt diet. Curious to know what others have tried.A. At the present time there is no cure for Meniere's disease, but there are ways to manage the condition and help you control symptoms. Treatment for Meniere's disease falls into the following categories: 1. Diet 2. Medication: including antihistamines, anticholinergics, steroids, and diuretics. 3. Surgery- in extreme cases Doctors may recommend vestibular training, methods for dealing with tinnitus, stress reduction, hearing aids to deal with hearing loss, and medication to prevent nausea and symptoms of vertigo. Q. I suffer from menieres disease. can someone tell me about the surgical treatment I can have for it? I suffer from menieres disease for the last decade or so. I have taken off my diet almost all the salt, I stopped with coffee and alcohol and I stopped smoking at all.Still i have attacks of the disease each month and the vertigo is just getting worse.I know that there is a surgical treatment but is it any good? I never met someone who did this surgery. can someone that did this surgery tell me a little about it?A. I went the surgery 5 years ago. Before it I had menieres disease for almost two decades. I felt crippled from this horrible situation. after the surgery I lost my hearing in the ear but the vertigo is gone. Its a hard decision but if you are not sure about this surgery you can always do it later, so don't rush into it before you are completely ready to take the risks. More discussions about Meniere's disease Meniere's disease Related to Meniere's disease: vertigo, labyrinthitis noun Words related to Meniere's disease noun a disease of the inner ear characterized by episodes of dizziness and tinnitus and progressive hearing loss (usually unilateral) Related Words disease
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Meniere's disease

Ménière's Disease

Definition

Description

Causes and symptoms

Causes

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Treatment

Medications

Surgical procedures

Alternative treatment

Prognosis

Prevention

Key terms

Resources

Books

Periodicals

Organizations

Meniere's disease

Ménière's disease

Ménière's disease

Ménière's disease

Patient discussion about Meniere's disease

Meniere's disease

Words related to Meniere's disease

noun a disease of the inner ear characterized by episodes of dizziness and tinnitus and progressive hearing loss (usually unilateral)

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