Ménière’s disease is a rare vestibular disorder that causes an accumulation of endolymph fluid in your inner ear. Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes vertigo attacks, fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ear), and aural fullness.
The causes of Meniere’s disease can be described as multifactorial. A characteristic sign of Meniere’s disease is endolymphatic hydrops, a disorder in which excessive endolymph accumulates in the inner ear and causes damage to the sensory cells. In most patients, the clinical symptoms of Meniere’s disease start after considerable accumulation of endolymph has occurred. However, some patients develop symptoms in the early stages of endolymphatic hydrops.
The diagnosis of Meniere’s disease is usually based on clinical symptoms but can be complemented with functional inner ear tests, including vestibular-evoked myogenic potential testing, caloric testing with Video nystagmography or head impulse test. Initial management of Ménière’s disease can involve a low-salt diet, diuretic, and with great results when combined with vestibular rehabilitation. Treatment with intratympanic injection of gentamicin can be beneficial when vertigo persists in severe cases despite prior medical and vestibular rehabilitation.
In a study published by Michael M. Paparella & Matthew S. Griebie_ Bilaterality of Meniere’s Disease (Acta Oto-Laryngologica _2019), the audiometric configurations of a randomly selected group of 360 patients with clinical Meniere’s disease were analyzed in conjunction with their clinical manifestations. Although 78.6% of the patients had an abnormal pure-tone audiogram in the opposite ear from that which was initially diagnosed as Meniere’s disease, based on the entire clinical picture, the disease was found to be definitely bilateral in 32% of the patients.
A peaking audiogram type was found to be most common, occurring in about half of the involved ears. In approximately half of those with bilateral disease, the second ear became involved within two years of onset of involvement of the first ear, and in another 27 %, the second ear became involved after a period of 5 years or more.
Just like the causes of Meniere’s disease could be multifactorial, so also the management is multidimensional. Vestibular rehabilitation plays a key role in the recovery of affected vestibular functions that are necessary in maintaining a good balance. Sudden ear loss, especially at a very young age is a red flag and sudden ear loss in combination with dizziness is not part of getting old.
Your recovery to your normal self depends on early diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment. There is no need for further delay. Contact us today at Therapy Consultants_915-503-1333. Our facility is fully equipped with up-to-date technology and the expertise is always available to guide you through your customized vestibular rehabilitation. “You Don’t Have To Live With It”