No one’s quite sure what causes Meniere’s disease. But it’s hard to ignore its effects. Some prevalent symptoms of this condition are vertigo, dizziness, ringing in the ears, and hearing loss. Scientists aren’t really sure why, but for some reason, fluid can build up in the ears and this seems to be the root cause of Meniere’s disease.
So here’s the question: if a condition doesn’t have an identifiable cause, how can it be managed? It’s a complicated answer.
What exactly is Meniere’s disease?
Meniere’s disease is a chronic condition that affects the inner ear. Symptoms of Meniere’s will grow as time passes, for many individuals, because it’s a progressive condition. Those symptoms could include:
Unpredictable bouts of vertigo: Sadly, when these bouts of vertigo will strike and how long they may last can’t be predicted.
Tinnitus: It’s relatively common for individuals 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 cause a loss of hearing.
If you notice these symptoms, it’s crucial to get a definitive diagnosis. For many people with Meniere’s, symptoms are irregular. But eventually, symptoms can become more consistent and noticeable.
How is Meniere’s disease treated?
There is no known cure for Menier’s disease which is persistent and progressive. But there are a few ways to deal with the symptoms.
Some of the most prevalent treatments include the following:
- Steroid shots: Injections of specific kinds of steroids can temporarily help alleviate some Meniere’s symptoms, particularly when it comes to vertigo.
- Surgery: In some cases, Meniere’s disease can be addressed with surgery. Typically, however, only the vertigo side of the disease is affected by this surgery. It won’t affect the other symptoms.
- Positive pressure therapy: When Meniere’s disease is particularly challenging to manage, this non-invasive strategy can be used. Positive pressure therapy is the medical name for this therapy. This treatment involves exposing the inner ear to positive pressure in order to limit fluid buildup. Peer review has not, so far, confirmed the long-term advantages of this approach but it does seem promising.
- Rehabilitation: When Meniere’s disease is acting up, You can use certain physical therapies that can help with balance. This approach may be a practical technique if you’re experiencing regular dizziness or vertigo.
- Medications: Anti-nausea and anti-dizziness medications can be prescribed by your doctor in some cases. If those specific symptoms appear, this can be helpful. For instance, medications created to help with motion sickness could help you feel less dizzy when an episode of vertigo happens.
- Hearing aid: As Meniere’s disease progresses and your hearing loss gets worse, you might want to try a hearing aid. Normally, a hearing aid won’t necessarily impede 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 manage the symptoms of tinnitus in a number of ways.
- Diuretic: A diuretic is another medication option that might be prescribed by your physician. The concept here is that the pressure in the inner ear can be lessened by decreasing fluid retention. This is a long-term medication that you’d use rather than one to minimize extreme symptoms.
The key is finding the treatment that’s right for you
You should get checked out if suspect you may have Meniere’s disease. The advancement of Meniere’s disease might be slowed by these treatments. But these treatments more often help you have a better quality of life despite your condition.