What we consider as the ear is actually a three-part structure that consists of the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The inner ear is an important part that enables hearing and plays a role in maintaining balance. One of the diseases that affects the inner ear and disrupts daily life is Meniere's disease (idiopathic hydrops). href="https://gcorp.cc/">GCORP LLC is dedicated to introducing this disease... Stay with us until the end of this article.

What is Meniere's disease?

Meniere's disease is one of the disorders related to the inner ear, which in most cases affects only one ear. This disease affects the sense of balance and hearing, and if left untreated, it leads to hearing loss and balance problems.

Meniere's disease can occur at any age, but it often appears between the ages of 40 and 60. 7 to 10% of patients have a family history of it, which indicates the possibility that Meniere's disease is hereditary.

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Symptoms of Meniere's disease

The four main symptoms of Meniere's disease are:

• dizziness
• Hearing loss
• Tinnitus
• Feeling of pressure or fullness in the ear

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This disease can also have other symptoms which include:

• Headache
Abdominal pain
• Nausea

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Symptoms of Meniere's disease

Loss of hearing for a long time and unpredictable vertigo are the most important problems of Meniere's disease.... This disease can unexpectedly disrupt your life and increase the risk of falls and accidents due to dizziness and difficulty maintaining balance.

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Time to see a doctor

If you have signs or symptoms of Meniere's disease, see a doctor.... There are other diseases that can cause these symptoms, so it's important to find out what's causing them.

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The cause of Meniere's disease

The cause of Meniere's disease is unknown... It seems that this disease is caused by an increase in inner ear fluid (endolymph), but it is not clear what is involved in this happening.

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The brain and inner ear use the signals sent by the endolymph to hear and maintain balance.. When there is a lot of endolymph in the inner ear, these signals are disturbed and the brain cannot manage the sense of hearing and balance.

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The following factors may affect the inner ear fluid and lead to Meniere's disease:

• Improper drainage of fluids (probably due to obstruction or anatomical abnormality)
• Abnormal reaction of the immune system
• Viral infection
• Genetic factors

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How to diagnose Meniere's disease

An otolaryngologist will examine your ears and ask you questions about hearing loss, tinnitus, or a feeling of fullness in one or both ears.

• Two attacks of vertigo, each lasting 20 minutes or more, but lasting no more than 12 hours
• Confirmation of hearing loss with hearing test
• Tinnitus or a feeling of ear fullness
• Ruling out other problems and diseases that can cause these symptoms

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The doctor may use the following methods to rule out other diseases and confirm Meniere's disease:

1.... hearing test

Audiometry specialists use audiometry to evaluate your hearing.. In this method, sounds are played through headphones and you have to press a button when you hear each sound.. Audiometry tests evaluate your ability to recognize different sounds and distinguish between similar words.

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2... Balance evaluation

In most cases, after the vertigo resolves, balance returns to normal... but some patients may have persistent balance problems... The following tests are used to evaluate inner ear function:

• Videonystagmography (VNG): This test measures balance performance by examining eye movements.... Balance sensors in the inner ear are connected to muscles that control eye movement.. This connection allows you to move your head while looking at a point.
• Rotating chair test: This method, like VNG, evaluates inner ear function based on eye movements... To perform this test, you need to sit on a computer-controlled chair that moves in a circle.
• Atrial evoked muscle potential (VEMP): This test helps to diagnose and monitor Meniere's disease.. VEMP can show changes in the ears of patients.
• Postography: This computer test shows which part of the balance system (sight, inner ear function or skin sensation, muscles, tendons and joints) has problems.. In this method, you stand on a platform with a seat belt and bare feet and try to maintain your balance in different conditions.
• Visual head hit test (vHIT): This test uses video images to assess the eye's response to sudden movements....while focusing on a point, your head is turned quickly and suddenly....If the eyes deviate from the target point during the head turn, this reaction is diagnosed as an abnormal reflex.
• Electrocochleography (ECoG): This test examines the inner ear's response to sounds and can show abnormal accumulation of fluid in the inner ear.

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3.... diagnostic tests to rule out other diseases

Blood tests and imaging procedures such as MRI can help diagnose other problems with symptoms similar to Meniere's disease, such as brain tumors and multiple sclerosis.

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How to treat Meniere's disease

At first, the doctor tries to reduce the amount of endolymph and control vertigo by prescribing medicine... The drug treatment of Meniere's disease includes the following:

• Diuretics: They cause loss of body fluids which can reduce inner ear fluid.
• Medications for motion sickness: Helps control vertigo.
• Antihistamines: Reduces dizziness attacks.
• Anti-nausea drugs: treat nausea caused by vertigo.
• Middle ear injection: The antibiotic gentamicin and steroids such as dexamethasone help control vertigo attacks.

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Surgery

If other treatments don't work, your doctor may use surgery to control very severe cases of Meniere's disease. Surgical options include:

• Depressurization of the endolymphatic sac: The endolymphatic sac is a hollow sac that regulates the amount of fluid in the inner ear.. In this procedure, the doctor removes a small part of the bone above the sac and creates a path for the endolymph to drain. The vestibular nerve plays a role in regulating balance and hearing... Usually, cutting this nerve while preserving hearing in the affected ear can cause dizziness... Cutting the vestibular nerve requires general anesthesia and overnight hospitalization.
• Labyrinthectomy: The surgeon removes the part related to balance control in the inner ear.... As a result, both the balance function and the hearing power of the ear are lost.... This procedure is only performed for patients who have lost their hearing to a large extent.

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Home remedies and lifestyle modification

Self-care can reduce the impact of Meniere's disease on your life:

• Sit or lie down when you feel dizzy... During dizziness, avoid any activity that might make your symptoms worse, such as sudden movement, watching TV, or reading...Try to focus on stationary objects.
• Rest during and after dizziness... Do not rush to return to normal daily activities.
• Remember that you may lose your balance and get hurt by falling... If you wake up in the night, be sure to turn on the light.... If you have chronic balance problems, using a cane can help you maintain your balance.
• Control your stress and anxiety... Yoga, meditation and tai chi help reduce the severity of symptoms by calming you down.
• Don't smoke.... Research shows that there is a connection between smoking and tinnitus, so quitting smoking will help reduce this symptom.

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Suitable diet for Meniere's disease

Observing the following points can prevent the onset of dizziness:

• Increase the number of meals and reduce the size of each meal... Even distribution of meals throughout the day helps regulate body fluids.
• Limit salt intake... Consumption of foods and drinks containing salt causes fluid retention.... To maintain your health, reduce your sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day.
• Get less caffeine... Caffeine can affect ear fluid levels.
• Drink water regularly... People with Meniere's disease should be careful of dehydration in hot weather and during intense exercise.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Endword

Symptoms of Meniere's disease come without warning and can be very severe... Because of this, you may feel unable to lead a normal life or even cope with anxiety.... Fortunately, doctors are familiar with how to treat Meniere's disease and understand the impact it can have on your quality of life.... If you suffer from this disease, you can consult an otolaryngologist through the GCO website.. visit.. Take it.

You can save time by booking a medical office appointment on the GCORP LLC website and contact the doctor you want as soon as possible.

Sources: mayoclinic, my.clevelandclinic, medicalnewstoday