Meniere's Disease

Meniere's disease: symptoms, causes and treatments

Meniere's disease is a pathology of the inner ear, which is manifested by impaired hearing and coordination of movements. This disease is named after the French doctor who first described its symptoms in 1861. Currently, Meniere's disease remains one of the most common causes of vestibular dysfunction.

Causes of Meniere's disease

The main cause of Meniere's disease is a violation of the innervation of the vessels of the inner ear, caused by hydrocele of the inner ear. It is because of this that the receptor apparatus is not able to adequately perceive auditory and vestibular stimuli. The causes of hydrocele in the inner ear can vary, including infections, allergic reactions, head injuries, and other factors.

Symptoms of Meniere's disease

The main symptom of Meniere's disease is attacks, which are characterized by a triad of symptoms: dizziness, hearing loss and tinnitus. Dizziness occurs suddenly, against a background of a healthy state, and disrupts the sense of balance. Patients tend to take a horizontal position and close their eyes. Any attempt to change body position causes nausea and vomiting. An objective sign of an attack of Meniere's disease is nystagmus, which disappears after the cessation of vestibular disorders. Noise in the ear appears along with vestibular disorders. Hearing loss occurs in one ear, primarily affecting the perception of high frequencies. Meniere's disease is characterized by hearing fluctuations: alternating periods of improvement and deterioration of hearing.

Meniere's disease occurs with periods of exacerbations and remissions. During the period of remission, the patient is almost healthy, only tinnitus may be observed. This period of Meniere's disease lasts several months, although cases have been known to last up to several years. The patient can be employed. We recommend work that does not require contact with moving mechanisms, noise and vibration exceeding 70 dB.

Treatment of Meniere's disease

Relieving an attack of Meniere's disease may include the following measures:

1. Intravenous administration of 40% glucose solution in a dose of 20 ml.
2. Intramuscular administration of a 1% solution of aminazine in a dose of 2-4 ml.
3. Taking antivertigo and antiemetic drugs.
4. Use of diuretics to reduce swelling of the inner ear.
5. Physiotherapeutic procedures such as electrical stimulation, laser therapy, magnetic therapy and others.

For frequent attacks of Meniere's disease, long-term treatment with glucocorticosteroids or immunosuppressants may be prescribed. If resistant to drug therapy, surgery may be required.

In general, treatment for Meniere's disease aims to relieve symptoms and improve the patient's quality of life. With the right approach to treatment, most patients achieve significant improvement. However, it is necessary to understand that Meniere's disease is a chronic disease and may require long-term treatment and regular monitoring by a doctor.

Meniere's disease is a chronic disease of the inner ear, characterized by attacks of dizziness (systemic vertigo), noise (ringing, hissing) in the ears, hearing loss and nausea.

The disease is named after the French physician Prosper Meniere, who in 1861 described the symptom complex of this disease.

The reasons for the development of Meniere's disease are not completely clear. It is assumed that the main role is played by a violation of liquor dynamics in the inner ear, which leads to perilymphatic hydrops of the labyrinth. The disease most often develops in people aged 30 to 50 years.

Characteristic symptoms are acute attacks of systemic dizziness, which last from 20 minutes to several hours and are accompanied by nausea, vomiting, noise and decreased hearing in the ear. Between attacks, constant noise in the ear and instability when walking bother me.

For diagnosis, audiometry, caloric test, and MRI of the brain are performed. Treatment is mainly medicinal, aimed at improving blood circulation in the inner ear and reducing swelling. If drug treatment is ineffective, surgical intervention is performed.

The prognosis for Meniere's disease is generally favorable, but the disease is recurrent, and attacks can recur over many years.