Rare disorders that directly affect the human’s inner ear refer to Meniere’s disease. Inner ears of a person are responsible for hearing and balance. Meniere’s Disease is a serious ailment due to which, other dangerous conditions take place. The disease can cause vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss to the victim. Vertigo is a condition of the sensation of spinning. While hearing loss can be a serious threat to the victim. Furthermore, Meniere’s disease can give a feeling of pressure deep inside the ear. But the only tolerable thing about it is that it usually affects only one ear at a time.
Several studies have been processed and it is concluded that it can seriously disturb your daily life. The National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimates that 615,000 people in the United States are currently suffering from Meniere’s Disease. While overall, more than 10 million people are facing the hearing disorder. A fact about the disease is that it usually affects the people of the age of ’40s and 50. Moreover, Meniere’s disease is a chronic one and can be easily treated. It is still unknown what causes Meniere’s Disease. But several conditions that can cause it are listed below:
- Changes in the Fluid in Tubes of the Inner Ear.
- Autoimmune Disease
- Allergies
- Genetic
Symptoms of Meniere’s Disease
Every disease in this world has some of its signs and symptoms. Meniere’s Disease symptoms are mild and seriously affective to human health. One of its main symptoms is vertigo with attacks. This symptom lasts for a few minutes to 24 hours. Meniere’s Disease symptoms tend to come on as episodes or attacks. Usually, people don’t feel any symptoms due to the disease. But if they feel it, it can be any of the following:
- Loss of Hearing in the Affected Ear
- Tinnitus, or the Sensation of Ringing in the Affected Ear.
- Aural Fullness, or the Feeling That the Ear is Full Plugged
- Serious Headache
- Loss of Balance
- Nausea
- Vomiting and Sweating Caused by Severe Vertigo
- It can also cause labyrinthitis
Diagnosing Meniere’s Disease
If you feel any of the above-mentioned symptoms, you must make an appointment with a doctor or your healthcare advisor. The doctor will help you to diagnose the disease. For this, a hearing test is done. This hearing test is also known as audiometry and is used to determine if you are experiencing hearing loss. To perform this test, a headphone is handed over to you and sounds of different pitches and volumes are noised to hear. If everything sounds okay, you might be free of this disease then. However, if the hearing test is not enough for you, a balance test is also performed. Other important tests are listed below:
- Head MRI
- Cranial CT Scan
- Tests for Multiple Sclerosis or Brain Tumors.
Treatment Of Meniere’s Disease
Treatment of Meniere’s Disease isn’t compulsory and is done to ease the symptoms only. And for this, the following actions can be performed:
- Medication
- Physical Therapy
- Hearing Aids
- Surgery
