How to Test for Meniere's Disease
Meniere's disease is an inner ear disorder most likely to affect people between 40 and 50 years old. The disease causes abnormal sensory perceptions such as hearing loss, pressure or ringing in the ears, and the spinning sensation of vertigo. Meniere's disease is linked to an abnormal composition or volume of fluid inside the inner ear. What causes the inner ear fluid to change is not known. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimates there are 615,000 people with Meniere's disease in the United States.
Instructions
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Instructions
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See a doctor. You need an accurate diagnosis to determine if your symptoms are caused by Meniere's disease.
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2
Have a hearing assessment. An audiometry hearing test will be used to determine your hearing quality and any inner ear problems. The test measures your ability to distinguish between similar sounding words and how well you detect different pitches and volumes of sound.
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Assess your balance. Electronystagmography will assess your eye movement to evaluate your balance. Muscles which control eye movement are connected to balance related sensors in the inner ear.
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Have rotary-chair testing. It uses a computer controlled chair which rotates. The doctor monitors your eye movement as the chair moves and uses the information to measure inner ear function.
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Have VEMP testing. The vestibular evoked myogenic potential test measures how you detect acceleration of movement.
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Have a posturography test. It will show if your vision, inner ear function, or sensations from skin, tendons, joints and muscles are causing problems.
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Have an MRI. Using a magnetic field and radio waves, an MRI will show images of your body's soft tissues and a cross-sectional or 3-D image of your brain.
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Have a CT scan. This x-ray test will show your doctor cross-sectional images of your body's internal structures.
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Have an auditory brainstem response audiometry test. A computer is used to give this test of the hearing centers in the brain and hearing nerves. It will look for tumors which may be disrupting auditory nerve function.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid driving or operating heavy machinery. Sit or lie down if you feel dizzy. Rest during and after episodes of vertigo. Don't go back to your normal routine too soon. Remember dizziness can make you lose balance.
You can be hurt because of unpredictable episodes of vertigo. The condition increases your risk of falling and having an accident while driving or operating machines. You may become depressed because the disease limits your ability fully function.
