Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for people to be misdiagnosed with Meniere's disease as there is no definitive test for it, and other conditions have similar symptoms.
Usually, only one ear is involved. Meniere's disease is more episodic than labyrinthitis, that is, it comes and goes, rather than remaining continuous. These episodes can last from several minutes to several hours before gradually subsiding. They are often accompanied by severe nausea and vomiting.
Lermoyez syndrome is a rare Meniere's variant where hearing improves when vertigo starts. It is very rare and for this reason, little is known about it.
Diagnosing Meniere's disease
For example, migraines and ear infections can also affect your balance and hearing. A viral infection of the balance nerve (vestibular neuronitis) or the inner ear (labyrinthitis) can also produce similar vertigo attacks.
Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) testing.
This test uses sound to make parts of the inner ear active. It records how well muscles react to that sound. It may show common changes in the affected ears of people with Meniere's disease.
Diagnosis and Treatment for Meniere's Disease. Abnormal results of a caloric stimulation test of eye reflexes can indicate a sign of Meniere's disease. An electrocochleography, MRI scan or electronystagmography (ENG) may also be recommended to decipher Meniere's disease from other forms of vertigo.
Some doctors will perform a hearing test to establish the extent of hearing loss caused by Ménière's disease. To rule out other diseases, a doctor also might request magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans of the brain.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
The MRI scan will not confirm a diagnosis of Ménière's disease, nor will it show which ear is affected or how severe the condition is. During initial investigation it is important to exclude many serious conditions which can cause vertigo or unilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
Meniere's disease is typically diagnosed by an otolaryngologist. During a clinic visit, your doctor will take your medical history and conduct a physical exam.
Avoid things like coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks, chocolate, and diet pills. Caffeine will stimulate the nervous system and make migraines and tinnitus worse. Eat a low sodium diet. Sodium causes fluid retention and can make your symptoms worse in your inner ear.
Audiologists can evaluate and diagnose balance and balance-related diseases, and help manage the hearing loss associated with Meniere's. Audiologists also provide support and services in conjunction with your specialist.
Betahistine is a histamine analog and is a prescription only medication. It is also known by the brand name Serc. Betahistine is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs used to treat vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss associated with Ménière's disease in the UK.
What is Ménière disease? Ménière disease is a balance disorder. It's caused by an abnormality in part the inner ear called the labyrinth. Fluid build-up here can cause a severe spinning sensation (vertigo) and affect the hearing.
It can be exceptionally crippling for those who suffer from it. The symptoms of this condition are quite debilitating, particularly vertigo. It can impact the quality of your life negatively. Moreover, it can cause you to miss out on various important family, social, and work events.
In most cases, it is slowly progressive and significantly impacts the social functioning of the individual affected. Hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo are all common symptomatic complaints with many potential causes, yet actual Meniere disease is quite rare and is fundamentally a diagnosis of exclusion.
Meniere's disease may also require bed rest and diuretic medications in addition to VBAs. Ultimately, once your neurologist has diagnosed the cause of your vertigo, they will provide you with a customized treatment plan to alleviate your symptoms.
The most common causes of imbalance without dizziness are related to dysfunction of the muscles, joints and peripheral nerves (proprioceptive system), or the central nervous system (brain). People with bilateral vestibulopathy have balance issues but no dizziness if the damage affects both ears at the same time.
Meniere's disease can happen at any age. But it usually starts between the ages of 40 to 60. It's thought to be a lifelong condition. But some treatments can help ease symptoms and lessen how it affects your life long-term.
Vitamin D supplementation may improve symptoms in Meniere's disease.
Vitamin D. Low levels of vitamin D have been found in patients with vestibular disorders such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Meniere's disease, and vestibular neuritis. A few reports have shown supplementation to be beneficial for preventing BPPV attacks and Meniere's symptoms.
Meniere disease is generally defined as the idiopathic syndrome of endolymphatic hydrops, whereas the term Meniere syndrome is generally used for patients with the same clinical features but who have an identified cause.
Most people who have balance disorders such as Meniere's disease or an ear disorder such as tinnitus will be able to travel by air without any problems. However, some aspects of flying can cause problems for some people.
Seventy-five percent of patients who had MD for more than 20 years considered their vertigo attacks severe and 36% still had attacks 1 to 4 times per week. Nausea associated with vertigo was most common among those with a long disease history.