Posts Tagged ‘meniere’s disease’

What is Meniere’s Disease?

Meniere’s disease is a condition of the balance mechanism, characterized by intermittent attacks—usually severe—involving vertigo, nausea, vomiting, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and progressive deafness. The exact causes are unknown.

Meniere’s Disease Symptoms

Attacks usually come on suddenly with a buzzing noise in the ears. This is immediately followed by intense vertigo and the desire to vomit. Often it is so severe and sudden that the patient has the sensation of being hurled to the ground. However, most patients who have experienced it before have time either to sit or lie down and protect themselves from injury. Occasionally there may be transient unconsciousness. The eyes turn to the affected side in quick movements called nystagmus. An acute attack may last from 15 to 60 minutes and the after-effects may persist for many hours. Often the patient is fearful to move lest a new attack take place. It may occur during sleep, the patient awakening with an attack that is accentuated by movement of the head.

Meniere’s disease is characterized by gradual, progressive deafness, which finally may be permanent on the affected

Meniere’s Disease Treatment

This must be under medical supervision, for the doctor must check the nervous and other systems to ascertain that there is no other organic lesion causing the attacks. This is essential.

Medication often produces excellent results, although each patient varies. Prochlorperazine (tablets, injection and suppositories) may be used. Betahistinc (Serc) or cyclizinc administered orally often assist. Various sedatives are used, and these also are of value. Antihistamine medication often brings relief.

The doctor usually has a particular line of therapy, generally involving the use of some of the items mentioned. Many patients who regularly suffer attacks know their medication, and with experience can administer it themselves if an attack occurs or seems imminent.

Occasionally surgery is carried out if the doctors can be certain which side is affected (often it is both), and when deafness has taken place. However, most patients have mild attacks infrequently, and surgery is not usually necessary.

Vertigo, which means dizziness usually accompanied with nausea, is a multifactor symptom that can occur with various ear disorders.

Normal equilibrium depends on the interrelationship of sensations coming from many different organs: from the eyes, muscles, tendons, skin receptors and also from the balance mechanism of the labyrinths of the ear. If these signals are at variance with one another (as interpreted by the higher centres of the brain), and there is a consequent interference with coordination, then vertigo may result.

There are many causes, and there are several conditions in which this symptom is prominent.

Meniere’s Disease

This has already been considered, and is probably the most dramatic disorder involving balance problems.

Benign Postural Vertigo

This can take place when the head is in a particular position. There is usually no obvious cause, or conversely it may follow on from some form of head injury. Symptoms often abate with or without treatment within three to six months.

Toxicity

Some medicinal preparations arc well-known for their ability to destroy or interfere with vestibular function. Streptomycin, medications used for epilepsy, mental depression and hypertension, come into this category. The symptoms may not be clear-cut. If possible, altering medication may bring relief.

Epidemic Vertigo

This strange disorder may occur in young people who have had a simple viral infection. Often many persons with a similar infection about the same time will report sensations of vertigo and vomiting. The cause is unknown but it is probably a toxic effect from the invading germ on the vestibular mechanism. Prochlorperazine may assist, although the condition is probably self-limiting.

Psychogenic Vertigo

Some neurotic patients will describe their vertigo symptoms in striking terms. The level of authenticity is hard to determine, as it is more likely to be one symptom in a maze.

Ischaemia Vertigo

Some patients suffer from vertigo as part of a definite pathological vascular deficiency of the blood supply to the brain. It is referred to as vertebrobasilar ischemia and is really one symptom in a series of others. It is more probable in the person, and treatment is usually satisfactory.