Meniere's Disease: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
Written by:Meniere's disease is a poorly understood condition that affects the inner ear and cause vertigo, hearing loss and ringing in the affected ear.
In the world of Otolaryngology , it is believed that Meniere is caused by increased pressure of endolymph, the liquid that fills the inner ear. However, this pressure does not explain all the symptoms and consequences of the disease, so research currently focus on it.
Symptoms of Meniere 's disease
Meniere's disease is characterized by three main symptoms:
• Crisis incapacitating vertigo appear almost randomly without warning symptoms. These crises often prevent the patient stand and, in some cases, also causes vomiting. In severe cases, the patient may have three to four episodes a week and, at intervals no crisis, the patient feels a strong instability, as if intoxicated, incapacitating him to carry out his normal life.
• Hearing loss: hearing loss. The patient can not properly hear sounds and feel a strong discomfort, even pain, when he hears loud sounds. Thus, the patient, despite not hear well, is forced to use ear plugs.
• Tinnitus: intense and constant ringing in the affected ear. You can vary in intensity or hue and makes the patient can not rest or concentrate on their activities.
Treatment of Meniere's Disease
The treatment of this disease is aimed at several areas:
• Avoid triggering circumstances: stress, schedule changes, dietary changes, etc.
• Medication: mainly betahistine and corticosteroids. If taken properly, the disease may stabilize at about 70% of patients.
• Surgery: intratimpánicas injections of corticosteroids and gentamicin, getting administer medication directly to the inner ear.
• Rehabilitation of balance and hearing symptoms: once stabilized the disease, it is essential to recover the ability to walk, stand unaided and to hear their best.
