Meniere’s Disease

Meniere’s Disease is a chronic and disabling disorder of the inner ear that leads to balance and auditory problems. This disorder is known to affect nearly one lakh individuals annually.

Meniere’s Disease Causes:

The inner ear has fluid-inundated tubes known as semicircular canals, or labyrinths. The semicircular canals alongside a nerve present in the skull, aid in interpreting the body’s stance and maintaining its balance.

Meniere’s disease develops due to the swelling of a section of the canal known as endolymphatic sac. The sac aids in filtering and removal of fluid in the semicircular canals.

The precise cause of Meniere’s disease is still unidentified. In certain situations, it could be associated with the following:

• Injury caused to the head.
• Infection in the middle ear.
• Syphilis.

The other factors that raise the risk of developing Meniere’s Disease comprise of:

• Presence of allergies.
• Alcohol consumption.
• Exhaustion, weariness.
• A recent bout of viral infection.
• Respiratory disease.
• Those who smoke.
• Stress.
• Usage of particular medicines like aspirin.
• Genetic predisposition might additionally play a role.

Meniere’s Disease Symptoms:

The signs include:

• Unnatural sense of movement or motion (vertigo) that worsens with abrupt, hasty movements that is known to endure from time periods spanning few minutes and could carry on for many hours that is sporadic in nature.
• Giddiness.
• Auditory loss experienced in either one or both the ears with the loss first perceived in the low frequency sounds. The degree of auditory loss might vary.
• Hearing sounds, normally ringing in nature in the absence of any kind of external sound stimuli (Tinnitus).
• Unexpected episodes of total disorientation leading to the person falling down due to loss of balance.
• Sweating could be profuse.
• Irrepressible eye movements.
• Feeling nauseous and vomiting.

The sense of giddiness and feeling unbalanced usually appear in seizures lasting from minutes and could extend to hours on end. Other signs could continue for longer time periods.

Diagnosis & Tests:

• A neurological examination could detect any difficulties in hearing, balancing or eye movements.
• Caloric stimulation procedure is conducted that diagnoses eye reflexes by the process of stimulating the inner ear with warm and cool water. Unnatural outcomes in this procedure could be an indicator of Meniere’s disease.
• Further tests undertaken for differentiating Meniere’s disease from other causes of vertigo might comprise of induced prospective studies, Electonystagmography – a test to observe voluntary and involuntary eye movements and assesses the acoustic nerve that helps in hearing and balancing. A CT scan of the head or head MRI scan and auditory tests (audiometry).

Meniere’s Disease Treatment:

As there is no identified cure for Meniere’s disease, the objective of treatment is to allay pressure in the inner ear and assuage symptoms.

• Medicines like antihistamines, anticholinergics are employed though they are hardly ever effectual.
• Diuretics or water pills could aid in reducing fluid pressure that is experienced in the inner ear. A diet low in sodium would aid in reducing fluid retention.
• Medicines like antiemetics could be suggested for relieving nausea and vomiting. Feelings of giddiness and vertigo would be relieved by the use of sedatives or hypnotics and benzodiazepines like diazepam.
• If symptoms are acute and are not responding favourably to treatment then ear surgery could be needed.
• Auditory aids could become necessary if there is extreme loss in hearing.
• Avoiding abrupt movements that could worsen the symptoms. One could need assistance while walking due to the unbalance caused at the time of the attacks.
• Avoiding glaring, bright lights, television and reading at the time of attacks which might aggravate the symptoms. Resting during chronic episodes and eventually raising activity levels.
• Avoiding risky activities like working with heavy machines, climbing, driving and other unsafe activities till a week’s time after the disappearance of the symptoms.

The results of the treatment vary. Meniere’s disease is mostly bought under control with treatment with improvement that might be noticed spontaneously.

Possible Complications:

• Incapability in walking or functioning as a result of unmanageable vertigo.
• Auditory loss on the side that is affected.

Prevention:

There is no identified prevention strategy for Meneire’s disease. However, timely treatment of ear infection and other associated disorders could provide immense help.

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