Meniere’s disease

Meniere’s disease is a pathology of the inner ear which results in recurrent vertigo attacks (hence the reference to Meniere’s vertigo), wheezing, tinnitus and hearing loss. Also called Meniere’s syndrome, find out everything you need to know about this chronic ear disease!

Meniere’s disease mainly affects adults. It usually appears between 40 and 60 years old and women are three times more affected than men. Research has shown a genetic predisposition to Meniere’s disease.

The causes of Meniere’s disease remain undetermined for the moment. The lack of information on this pathology of the ear stems in particular from the fact that it affects the inner ear , the deepest part of the ear. It is made up of the cochlea, the organ of hearing, and the vestibule, the organ of balance. These areas are bathed in a fluid called endolymph.

Meniere’s disease is thought to be due to an excess of fluid in the inner ear . A surplus of endolymph which causes too much pressure in the cochlea and the vestibule. This causes dizziness and reduced sounds . The attacks of Meniere’s disease can be triggered by a spike in stress, severe fatigue or a change in barometric pressure.

The causes of Meniere’s disease are hypothetical. Some scientists cite several factors as the origin of excess endolymph :

1. food allergy,
2. head injury,
3. immune system dysfunction.

The symptoms of Meniere’s disease appear in waves. Unpredictable crises whose frequency can vary from a few episodes per year to several per week. Symptoms of the pathology can also be independent of each other:

• loss of equilibrium,
• partial hearing loss,
• nystagmus (intense eye activity),
• violent dizziness.

And in some cases:

• sudden drop in nausea,
• vomiting,
• sweating abdominal pain.

When the pressure increases in the inner ear, the attacks of dizziness intensify. This is because the brain receives conflicting information from the inner ear and it becomes difficult to manage the position of the body.

At the onset of Meniere’s disease, seizures can be numerous. Indeed, the waves of vertigo are disabling but the more the years pass, the more they subside. While one ear is usually affected early on, it is common for Meniere’s syndrome to affect both ears after a few years. In addition, if the seizures are repeated, the hearing loss may become irreversible.

This disease is a source of anxiety because the attacks are unpredictable. Do not hesitate to consult associations or psychologists to manage this inner ear syndrome.

There is no treatment to make Meniere’s disease completely disappear. But there are many ways to relieve the symptoms.

Meniere’s disease is very often accompanied by hearing loss. This can be one-off or irreversible. To compensate for this hearing loss, wearing a hearing aid is a solution. A hearing aid will relieve the hearing disorder and allow better understanding. It is necessary to be monitored regularly by an audioprosthetist in order to refine the settings of the hearing aid according to the evolution of Meniere’s disease.