How can Menieres disease be treated?
• Medications: A diuretic (water pill) such as triamterene (Dyazide, Maxzide) combined with a low salt diet, is the primary treatment of Meniere’s disease. Anti-vertigo medications such as meclizine (Antivert, Bonine, Meni-D, Antrizine) or diazepam (Valium) may provide temporary relief during the attacks of vertigo. Anti-nausea medications [for example, promethazine (Phenergan)] sometimes also are prescribed. Both anti-vertigo and anti-nausea medications may cause drowsiness. • Surgery: If vertigo attacks are not controlled medically and are disabling, one of the following surgical procedures may be recommended depending on the individual patient’s situation: • endolymphatic shunt (A surgical procedure in which a shunt (tube) is placed in the endolymphatic sac that drains excess fluid from the ear.) • selective vestibular neurectomy • labyrinthectomy (surgical removal of the labyrinth of the ear) and eighth nerve section. Although there is no real cure for Meniere’s disease, the attack
