Ménière’s disease is a little known pathology that affects the inner ear and causes vertigo, hearing loss and ringing in the affected ear.
In the world of Otolaryngology, it is believed that Ménière’s disease is caused by an increase in the pressure of the endolymph, the fluid that fills the inner ear. However, this hypertension does not explain all the symptoms and consequences of the disease, so research is currently focused on it.
Symptoms of Ménière’s disease
Ménière’s disease is characterized by three main symptoms:
– Disabling vertigo crises: they appear almost randomly and without warning symptoms. These crises often prevent the patient from standing upright and, in some cases, also cause vomiting. In the most severe cases, the patient may have three to four crises a week and, in the intervals without crises, the patient feels a strong instability, as if he were drunk, which incapacitates him to carry out his normal life.
– Hypoacusis: hearing loss. The patient cannot hear sounds properly and feels severe discomfort, even pain, when hearing loud sounds. Thus, the patient, despite not hearing well, is forced to wear earplugs.
– Tinnitus: intense and constant ringing in the affected ear. It can vary in intensity or tone and makes the patient unable to rest or concentrate on his or her activities.
Treatment of Ménière’s disease
The treatment of Ménière’s disease is aimed at several areas:
– Avoidance of triggering circumstances: stress, schedule changes, dietary changes, etc.
– Medication: mainly betahistine and corticosteroids. If taken properly, the disease can be stabilized in about 70% of patients.
– Surgery: Intratympanic injections of corticosteroids and gentamicin, which manage to administer the medication directly to the inner ear.
– Rehabilitation of balance and auditory symptoms: once the disease is stabilized, it is essential to regain the ability to walk, to stand up unaided and to hear as well as possible.