Meniere’s Disease
Meniere’s disease is a condition in the inner ear affecting the sense of balance and hearing of a person. Meniere’s disease causes occasions of vertigo, tinnitus, experiencing clogging in the ear and hearing loss.
This disorder has different effects on people from different walks of life in any ages, although it is not typical in children, – from benign displeasure into a persistent, lifetime disability. However, it affects men a little more than it affects women.
Even though, meniere’s disease causes are still very much puzzling since this condition is idiopathic, it is believed that it is somewhat interrelated to endolymphatic hydrops or fluids in excess in the ears. This excess fluid in the ears will cause damage in the vestibular system, which is responsible for the sense of balancing in the body, in the inner ears. Though for several cases, the endolymphatic duct might have been hindered by a scar tissue or narrowed from birth, or the stria vascularis secretes too much fluid.
Meniere’s disease causes are not deadly nor are they infectious, yet it is troublesome because it is an ongoing condition. While in most cases of meniere’s disease only one ear is affected, there is a 10% to 15% risk of developing it in both ears. Not all individuals who are suffering from this state experience all the symptoms constantly.
Meniere’s disease causes symptoms such as vertigo, an acute dizziness even though not moving which brings about nausea and vomiting, tinnitus which is the buzzing in the ears, ear congestion and hearing loss. Typically, a patient of this problem will undergo attacks, which may include one or more of the symptoms, once or more in a year. The attack usually lasts 20 minutes to 2 hours or even longer but will not exceed 24 hours.
Whenever a symptom of meniere’s disease attacks, lying on a flat unmoving surface is advisable. Keeping eyes focused on a certain object that is stationary will help deal with dizziness. Eating and drinking less, for the most part probably, will lessen chances of vomiting. The development of the symptoms of meniere’s disease causes a person suffering from it to feel very sleepy after an attack; hence you can sleep for quite a few hours. If vomiting doesn’t stop within 24 hours, you should, therefore, call your doctor to help control it.
Diagnosis of meniere’s disease should be established by doctors with medical history of the patient. A thorough otolaryngological test, head MRI scan and audiometry should be done to keep out other possible health problems like a tumor of the superior canal dehiscence which causes the same symptoms as meniere’s diseases. Meniere’s are only diagnosed when all the possibilities are being ruled out for the reason that there is no exact test for it.
Meniere’s disease causes its patients to often get annoyed. Changing you lifestyle, following your doctor’s advices and living in a stress free way may help manage the symptom attacks. Moreover, it is helpful if your friends and family know about meniere’s disease for your sake.