Symptoms and treatment of Ménière’s disease

  Meniere’s disease, also known as Meniere’s syndrome, is an inner ear disease of unknown origin characterized by fluid accumulation in the membranous vagus. The course of the disease is variable, with episodes of vertigo, fluctuating deafness and tinnitus as its main symptoms. Some of the symptoms of Meniere’s disease are as follows: 1. Vertigo is mostly sudden rotational, where patients feel themselves or surrounding objects rotating in a certain direction and plane, or feel shaking, lifting or floating. Vertigo is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, pale face, cold sweat, drop in blood pressure and other symptoms. The above symptoms increase when the eyes are opened or the head is turned, and decrease when the eyes are closed and the patient lies still. The patient is conscious and the vertigo lasts for tens of minutes or hours and then goes into remission. During the remission period, there may be a feeling of imbalance or instability, which may last for tens of days. The more recurrence of vertigo, the longer the duration and the shorter the interval.  2. Deafness The deafness is not noticeable at the beginning of the disease, but becomes obvious only after several attacks. It is usually unilateral, and is aggravated during the attack period and reduced during the interval, showing obvious fluctuating hearing loss.  3. Tinnitus Most often appears before the onset of vertigo. At first, it is persistent low-pitched tinnitus, but later it turns into high-pitched tinnitus. The tinnitus increases during vertigo attacks and naturally relieves during intervals.  4. Ear fullness A feeling of fullness, heaviness or pressure in the affected ear or head during the attack.  Since the cause and pathogenesis are unknown, most of them are treated with a combination of medication or surgery to regulate autonomic nerve function, improve microcirculation in the inner ear, and relieve water in the vagus.  1.Medication General treatment: bed rest should be taken during the attack period, and a high-protein, low-fat and low-salt diet should be chosen. It is advisable to gradually get out of bed as soon as possible after the symptoms are relieved. For those who have been ill for a long time, have frequent attacks, and have neurasthenia, we should explain patiently and eliminate the burden on their minds.  Symptomatic treatment drugs: vestibular neuroleptics, commonly used drugs such as diazepam, diphenhydramine, diphenhydramine, etc., only in the acute phase of the trial. Anticholinergics, such as scopolamine and scopolamine. Vasodilators and calcium antagonists, commonly used drugs include guilizine, flunarizine, betahistine, nimodipine, etc. Diuretics, commonly used drugs are chlorothiazide, 70% isosorbide nitrate, etc.  2.Surgical treatment Where vertigo attacks are frequent and intense, long-term conservative treatment is ineffective, tinnitus and severe deafness can be considered for surgical treatment. Cervical sympathectomy, endolymphatic sac decompression, vestibular neurectomy and vagotomy can be chosen according to the situation.  3. Vestibular rehabilitation treatment.