What Is Meniere’s Disease?
In 1861, French physician Prosper Meniere described a condition that now bears his name. Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes episodes of vertigo, tinnitus, a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear, and fluctuating hearing loss. A typical attack of Meniere’s disease may be preceded by fullness or aching in one or both ears. Hearing fluctuation or tinnitus (ringing or sounds in the ears) may also precede an attack. A Meniere’s episode generally involves severe vertigo (spinning), imbalance, nausea, and vomiting. The average attack lasts two to four hours. After a severe attack, most people find that they are extremely exhausted and must sleep for several hours. The cause of Meniere’s Disease is unknown; but possible contributors are stress, excessive salt intake, and occasionally, endocrine problems, such as low thyroid function, abnormal glucose (sugar) metabolism, or an inability to handle fats (high cholesterol and/or triglycerides.) To learn more about th
Meniere’s Disease is a disorder of the inner ear that is characterized by severe episodes of spinning dizziness, roaring tinnitus (ringing in the ears), pressure or fullness in the ear, and often nausea or vomiting. This type of dizziness is not constant, but comes in severe attacks. A low-frequency hearing loss is often associated with this type of dizziness.
Meniere’s Disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes episodes of vertigo, tinnitus, a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear, and fluctuating hearing loss. A typical attack of Meniere’s Disease may be preceded by fullness or aching in one or both ears. Hearing fluctuation and/or tinnitus (ringing or sounds in the ears) may also precede an attack.
