Meniere's Syndrome
Meniere's syndrome, also known as Meniere's disease, is characterized by some very troubling symptoms related to the ears, hearing and equilibrium, according to MedlinePlus. The cause of the disorder has not yet been established, but medical researchers believe it may be related to the mixing of fluids or overall fluid levels in the inner ear canals. Although there is no cure for Meniere's syndrome, certain treatments show promise in easing some of the symptoms caused by this disorder.
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Symptoms
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The Meniere's Disease Information Center says the four classic symptoms of this mysterious disorder are all "episodic" (symptoms are not always present) and "fluctuating" (symptoms vary in duration and severity) in character. The symptoms themselves are rotational vertigo, "a sense that the world is spinning around you;" hearing loss; tinnitus, the sensation of sound even when no sound is present; and a feeling of fullness in the ear. These symptoms usually occur in only one ear.
Diagnosis
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Meniere's is not an easy disorder to diagnose in that its symptoms appear in a variety of other illnesses as well. Most often your doctor will ask you to describe in detail what happens when you have an attack, according to FamilyDoctor.org. He also will probably order a number of tests to rule out other possible causes of the symptoms you're experiencing. Such tests may include MRI and CT scans to provide an inside look at your head and your ears, as well as blood, balance and hearing tests. Doctors may perform several different hearing tests to determine whether a hearing loss is sensory and thus related to the inner ear or neural, which indicates a problem with the auditory nerve.
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How Widespread
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The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders (NIDCD) estimates that more than 600,000 Americans suffer from Meniere's syndrome, with about 45,000 new cases diagnosed every year. This disease was first identified in 1861 by a French doctor, Prosper Meniere, for whom the syndrome is named.
Lifestyle Changes
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Because no clear-cut cause of Meniere's has been pinpointed, there is no cure. However, doctors may recommend a variety of different palliative measures to reduce the severity of the syndrome's symptoms. One of the first avenues of treatment may be a change in diet and prescription of medication to reduce fluid retention. Also helpful would be a sharp reduction or cessation of smoking, along with a reduction in the amount of alcohol and caffeine you consume.
Other Treatment Options
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Meniere's patients whose vertigo is out of control sometimes find relief through the administration of gentamycin, an ototoxic antibiotic, directly into the inner ear, according to the NIDCD. There are also two surgeries---labyrinthectomy and vestibular neurectomy---that have been successful in addressing vertigo. The former involves removal of the inner ear sense organ and is usually only undertaken in patients who already have lost hearing in the affected ear, while the latter involves the selective excision of a nerve in the affected inner ear.
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References
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