Ménière’s disease, commonly known as Meniere’s disease, is an inner ear disease of unknown origin, characterized by fluid accumulation in the membranous vagus.
What are the manifestations of Ménière’s disease?
There are four symptoms to consider for Meniere’s disease.
Episodic vertigo: 2 or more episodes of vertigo lasting 20 minutes to 12 hours each
Fluctuating hearing loss: low to moderate frequency hearing loss is predominant. Hearing loss can improve on its own phenomenon, but hearing loss will gradually worsen after repeated episodes.
Ear stuffiness or ear blockage: the discomfort of stuffiness or ear blockage in the ear is felt during or before or after the vertigo attack.
Tinnitus: Mostly low-pitched persistent tinnitus.
Who is prone to get Meniere’s disease?
1. Women: more women than men (about 1.3:1).
2. 40-60 years old, the high incidence age group.
3.Someone else in the family has Ménière’s disease, and there is a tendency for Ménière’s disease to gather in families.
What are the causes of Ménière’s disease?
There is still a lot of controversy and uncertainty in the medical research on the causes of Ménière’s disease, the possible causes are
1, endolymphatic duct obstruction and endolymphatic absorption disorders.
2, abnormal immune response.
3, plant nerve dysfunction.
4. Metabolic or endocrine disorders.
5. Ischemia or infection of the inner ear.
6, Genetic factors.
What tests are needed for Meniere’s disease?
Doctors need to take a detailed medical history and then develop a targeted examination plan.
Common tests include electro otoscopy, pure tone and acoustic conductance audiometry. The doctor may also choose the following tests as needed.
1. Glycerol test, cochlear electrogram, otoacoustic emissions, auditory brainstem evoked potentials.
2. Vestibular and balance function.
3. Inner ear and cranial MRI scan.
4. Other endocrine and allergen tests, etc.
How is Ménière’s disease treated?
Because the exact cause of Ménière’s disease is not known, there is no permanent and complete cure for Ménière’s disease.
You need to cooperate with your doctor for long-term follow-up and adjust your treatment plan in steps to reduce, control or prevent vertigo attacks while maximizing the protection of inner ear function.
Conservative treatment such as lifestyle changes, medication, and hormone injections in the tympanic chamber are generally used, and surgery may be considered for severe vertigo attacks.
Which patients with Ménière’s disease need surgery?
90% of patients with Ménière’s disease can maintain normal daily activities with lifestyle interventions and medication, but there are still about 10% of patients with vertigo and hearing loss that continue to progress and seriously affect their work and life, and these patients need surgical treatment.
The surgical methods are.
1.Endolymphatic sac surgery
2.Obstruction of three semicircular canals
3.Endolymphatic duct clamping
4.Vestibular nerve dissection
5.Vagotomy
The efficiency of endolymphatic bursa surgery is about 80%, and the residual hearing class is preserved, so it is the first choice of surgical treatment.
What do I need to pay attention to in my diet and life in Meniere’s disease?
1, regular work and rest, avoid adverse emotions, stress and other triggering factors.
2.Reducing salt intake and avoiding large amounts of water.
3, common use of MSG in the diet – monosodium glutamate is also a common triggering factor and needs to be avoided in excess.
4, avoid caffeine, tobacco and alcohol products.