The cause of Meniere’s is not really understood. But it’s difficult to overlook its impact. Ringing in the ears, dizziness, vertigo, and hearing loss are all common symptoms of this disease. Researchers aren’t really certain why, but for some reason, fluid can accumulate in the ears and this seems to be the root cause of Meniere’s disease.
So the question is: how can you treat something that doesn’t appear to have a discernible cause? The answer is, well, complex.
What exactly is Meniere’s disease?
Meniere’s disease is a chronic disorder 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: Sadly, when these bouts of vertigo will occur and how long they will last can’t be predicted.
Tinnitus: The degree of this tinnitus may ebb and flow, but it’s not abnormal 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 called aural fullness.
Hearing loss: Meniere’s disease can cause hearing loss over time.
If you experience these symptoms, it’s necessary to get an accurate diagnosis. Symptoms of Meniere’s disease can appear and disappear for many people. But as the disease advances, the symptoms will likely become more regular.
Treatment for Menier’s disease
There is no known cure for Menier’s disease which is chronic and progressive. But there are a few ways to manage the symptoms.
Some of the most prevalent treatments include the following:
- Positive pressure therapy: When Meniere’s disease is particularly challenging to treat, this non-invasive technique can be utilized. It’s known as positive pressure therapy. This treatment entails subjecting the inner ear to positive pressure in order to limit fluid accumulation. While positive pressure therapy is promising, the long-term benefits of this method have not been backed up by peer-reviewed studies.
- Rehabilitation: When Meniere’s disease is flaring up, You can employ certain physical therapies that can help with balance. If you’re regularly dizzy or dealing with vertigo, this approach might be warranted.
- Diuretic: Another type of medication that your physician might prescribe is a diuretic. The concept here is that the pressure in the inner ear can be lessened by reducing fluid retention. This medication isn’t used to treat acute symptoms but instead is taken long-term.
- Steroid shots: Some symptoms of Meniere’s, particularly vertigo, can be temporarily alleviated with injections of specific steroids.
- Hearing aid: It may be time to get hearing aids if Meniere’s disease is progressing to the point where your ability to hear is faltering. Typically, a hearing aid won’t necessarily slow the progress of your hearing loss. But it can help keep you socially active which can give a boost to your mental health. Hearing aids can also help you deal with the symptoms of tinnitus in several ways.
- Surgery: In some situations, surgery is used to treat Meniere’s. However, these surgical procedures will typically only affect the vertigo part of symptoms. Other Meniere’s symptoms will continue.
- Medications: Anti-nausea and anti-dizziness medications can be prescribed by your doctor in some cases. This can help when those particular symptoms occur. So, when a bout of dizziness occurs, medication for motion sickness can help decrease that dizziness.
The key is finding the treatment that’s right for you
If you think you have Meniere’s disease, you should get evaluated. Treatments for Meniere’s can sometimes slow the progress of your condition. But these treatments more often help you have a better quality of life despite your condition.