What is meniere's disease?

Ménière's (say "men-YEERS") disease is a problem of the inner ear that affects hearing and balance. It causes sudden attacks of vertigo that make you feel like you are spinning. It can also cause a loud ringing in the ears called tinnitus, a temporary loss of hearing, and a feeling of fullness in the ear. Your hearing loss may not get better.

The cause of Ménière's disease is not known, but it may be related to a fluid imbalance in the inner ear. The goal of treatment is to make the vertigo less severe and happen less often. Some people can prevent attacks by eating a diet low in sodium and by taking steps to decrease their stress. Medicines may also help. Surgery is an option for some people.

Ménière's disease can cause symptoms that come on quickly and last from hours to days. During an attack, you may have:

• Vertigo, the feeling that you or your surroundings are spinning. This may last from minutes to hours. It may be bad enough to cause nausea and vomiting.
• Tinnitus, a low roaring, ringing, or hissing in your ear.
• Hearing loss, which may be temporary or permanent.
• A feeling of pressure or fullness in your ear.

Most people have repeated attacks over a period of years. Attacks usually happen more often during the first few years of the disease and then come less often after that.

In some cases, each attack damages the inner ear. Over time your inner ear may become so badly damaged that it no longer works as it should. Then the attacks may stop, but you may be left with:

• Poor balance.
• Permanent hearing loss.
• Roaring or hissing in the affected ear.

A few people with Ménière's disease have "drop attacks." A drop attack is a sudden fall while you stand or walk. It occurs without warning. It may feel like you are suddenly being pushed to the ground. People who have these attacks don't pass out, and they recover within seconds or minutes.

See a doctor right away if you think you have Ménière's disease. Prompt diagnosis and treatment may reduce both the discomfort of the attacks and your risk of hearing loss.

Ménière's disease can't be cured, but symptoms can be reduced. Doctors may suggest lifestyle changes like limiting salt and reducing stress. Medicines may help reduce vertigo and nausea. For severe symptoms, treatments like injections or surgery could be options. Some of these treatments can cause hearing loss and are a last resort.

Your doctor will do a physical exam and ask questions about your past health and symptoms. Your ears, eyes, and nervous system will be checked. You will probably have hearing tests. Other tests, such as an MRI or a CT scan, may be done to help find out what's causing your symptoms.

Ménière's can be hard to manage and tough to live with. But there are some things you can do that may help reduce the number of attacks you have:

• Eat low-salt foods. Salt makes your body hold on to excess fluid. If you eat less salt, you may have less buildup of fluid in the ear. So you may get vertigo less often.
• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco.
• Try to reduce the stress in your life.

To reduce your symptoms when you have an attack:

• Lie down and hold your head very still until the attack goes away.
• Take your medicines for vertigo and nausea as soon as you can.

You can also take steps to help protect yourself when you have attacks:

• Do exercises to improve your balance. This can reduce your risk of falling and hurting yourself or others.
• Make changes to reduce your risk of injury during a vertigo attack. For example, install grab bars in your bathroom. Wear shoes with low heels and nonslip soles. And don't drive during an attack.

Ménière's (say "men-YEERS") disease is an inner ear problem that affects your hearing and balance. It normally occurs in only one ear at a time. But over time, it develops in the other ear in up to half of those who have it.

The disease usually occurs in people ages 40 to 60, but anyone can have it.

The cause of Ménière's disease is not known. But it may be related to a fluid called endolymph in the inner ear. In people with Ménière's disease, too much of this fluid builds up. This creates pressure in the parts of your inner ear that control balance. Experts aren't sure why this fluid builds up. It may be that your body produces too much of the fluid. Or maybe the fluid doesn't drain as it should from the inner ear. Or it may be both.

It's hard to predict who will get Ménière's disease. But your risk may be higher than normal if you have:

• Another family member who has it.
• An autoimmune disease, such as diabetes, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis.
• Had a head injury, especially if it involved your ear.
• Had a viral infection of the inner ear.
• Allergies.