Meniere’s Disease

Your sense of balance comes from three different systems working together: your inner ear, your vision, and your perception of where your body is in space. When one or more of these three systems isn’t working properly, you may experience dizziness.

There are many ways to feel dizzy. Vertigo is the feeling that you are spinning or that the room is spinning around you, even though nothing is actually moving. Imbalance can make you feel wobbly or make it difficult to walk in a straight line. Lightheadedness is the sensation you may have when you stand up too fast, like you might fall down. Any number of things can cause these symptoms, from a disease of the inner ear to an illness or medication.

Meniere’s disease is one disease of the inner ear that can cause vertigo, or the sensation of spinning. It is thought to be caused by too much fluid in the inner ear. While there is supposed to be a certain volume of fluid in the inner ear, too much can upset the normal function of the balance and hearing organs located there. In a classic case of Meniere’s disease there are four main symptoms:

Vertigo is the most obvious and debilitating symptom. Sufferers describe a dramatic sensation of spinning that can last from a couple of hours to a day or more. Nausea is common and sometimes sufferers even become sick. While the severity of this vertigo is different for everybody, most say that the only thing they can do is lie down and wait for the sensation to pass. Some medications may be available to reduce the severity or amount of time spent in an episode of vertigo.

Another symptom of Meniere’s disease is fluctuating hearing loss, or hearing loss that is better some days than others. Typically, hearing will become worse during or following an episode of vertigo then will gradually recover. Usually it is the lower frequencies, or pitches, of sounds that are affected most. Over time, the hearing loss doesn’t always recover what was lost following an episode of vertigo, as though taking two steps backward and one step forward. Eventually, after many years, the hearing loss tends to “bottom out”, when it stops fluctuating and stays relatively stable.

The third and fourth symptoms occur together usually just before and during an episode of vertigo. They are tinnitus and a feeling of fullness. The tinnitus is frequently described as a “roaring” sound or like the sound of rushing water. The feeling of fullness affects just one ear, and that ear is the one suspected of being affected by Meniere’s disease.

Everyone who has Meniere’s disease is affected by these symptoms differently. Some may not notice a change in hearing but have severe vertigo, while others may feel they can tolerate the vertigo but the tinnitus is debilitating.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for Meniere’s disease. However, there is a wide range of treatment options, from adjusting your diet to trying different medications to even considering surgery in extreme cases. These options are best discussed with your physician.

Meniere’s disease is just one of many possible causes of dizziness. If you or a loved one suffers from dizziness, be sure to talk to your primary care physician about your symptoms.