Menieres Disease

Menieres Disease Defined

Menieres disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes problems with hearing, symptoms of vertigo such as dizziness and a feeling of fullness in the ear. Patients with Menieres disease will often experience tinnitus, a ringing sound in the ear and balance and co-ordination are affected.

Causes Of Menieres Disease

Menieres disease affects the inner ear, known as the labyrinth. The inner ear is separated into two sections: the bony labyrinth and the membranous labyrinth. The membranous labyrinth is the part of the ear responsible for balance and hearing. 

The membranous labyrinth of the ear is filled with a fluid that moves when your head moves. This liquid, the endolymph fluid, triggers the labyrinth to send signals to the brain, reporting the boy's movements. 

The symptoms of Menieres disease are caused by problems with this endolympth fluid and the brain receiving incorrect signals about the body's movements.   

The exact reason for Menieres disease is unknown - it is debated whether Menieres is caused by an excess of the endolympth fluid; the endolympth fluid mixing with another fluid in the inner ear; a swollen blood vessel causing pressure on inner ear nerves, or as a result of a virus. The most commonly believed cause is an excess of fluid in the inner ear.

Menieres disease develops in adults, commonly between the ages of 30-45. It is rarely diagnosed in patients under the age of 25 and is less likely to develop in the elderly if symptoms were not experienced at a younger age. 

Symptoms Of Menieres Disease

The symptoms of Menieres disease occur in episodes; patients may suffer no 'attack' of symptoms for months or experience repeated attacks over a one week period. The symptoms of Menieres disease usually affect only one ear, although some patients may suffer from Menieres in both ears which will increase the symptoms.

Menieres disease effects patients in different ways and the symptoms below are the most common:

Vertigo - Extreme feelings of dizziness, sometimes accompanied by vomiting or nausea, can occur suddenly. The dizziness will feel similar to spinning and will often cause a patient to lose balance.  

Tinnitus - A ringing or whirring sound in the ears that distorts hearing. Tinnitus can cause sleep disruption as the symptoms are often worse when lying down. 

Hearing Loss - The degree to which hearing is affected varies between patients. Some patients experience complete hearing loss for a number of hours every time an attack occurs; other patients suffer from hearing fading over time, leading to deafness in the affected ear. 

Pressure in the ear - Many patients experience a sense of fullness or pressure in the ear prior to or during an attack. The symptoms of pressure in the ear most frequently occurs alongside tinnitus.

Treatment Of Menieres Disease

Menieres disease can often be treated with medication and a low-salt diet. If medicaton and diet do not control the symptoms of Menieres, specialists may recommend surgery to drain excess fluid from inside the inner ear to allow the ear to re-equilibrate or balance itself. This surgery, known as Endolymphatic Sac Decompression, drains fluid that has built up inside the ear labyrinth and relieves many of the vertigo symptoms.

Endolymphatic sac decompression surgery involves a small incision being made inside the ear to expose the endolymphatic sac. The sac that holds the fluid is then drained and a valve is placed to continue to drain future fluid build-up. 

Attacks of Menieres disease symptoms can be limited by reducing stress and avoiding activities that can cause pressure build-up in the ears, such as diving.