Synonyms
Menièr’s disease
Definition
Meniere’s disease is a complex disease of the acoustic system of the human body, which consists of three different symptoms and can affect the patient in different ways. The 3 symptoms consist of: This symptom complex can occur in different degrees and in different time sequences. However, the moment the patient describes all three symptoms, Meniere’s disease should be suspected.
1. the feeling of pressure on the ear usually appears as a non-specific problem, i.e. it is usually best tolerated by the patient and is initially ignored. In most cases, patients suspect that the symptoms have another harmless cause (e.g. middle ear infection) and do not take any further medical action at first. 2. if the dizziness is added, the patients usually become more attentive and consult a doctor.
The dizziness symptomatology is described in almost all cases as rotational vertigo, almost never as vestibular vertigo. The symptoms can be pronounced to varying degrees, but usually limit the patients very much.
- Feeling of pressure in the ear
- Dizziness and
- An increasing hearing loss
Pronounced swaying vertigo can also cause nausea and vomiting.
This often agonizing symptomatology then leads almost all patients to the doctor. Meniere’s disease usually occurs in seizures that can last from minutes to hours. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, the intervals between attacks can be shorter or longer.
There are also factors that can increase the frequency of seizures. In some cases, patients complain of rotational vertigo during active movements such as getting up and walking. In advanced stages or in severe cases, the tormenting feeling of permanent rotation can occur even when lying down.
Corresponding balance problems with instability and unsteady gait can also occur. In pronounced courses of the disease, the patient’s general condition can deteriorate massively, culminating in the patient being unable to leave their home and having to be brought to a clinic by ambulance. In weaker courses of the disease or in its early stages, patients are usually symptom-free at night while sleeping, and the dizziness usually does not begin until after getting up.
In advanced stages of the disease or in severe cases, patients do not find rest even when lying down; sleep is only possible in stages, which can also lead to a loss of strength in the long term. 3 Another symptom of Menièr’s disease is hearing loss. It begins unnoticed at first and then becomes increasingly severe without treatment.
In most cases, the low frequency range is affected, i.e. particularly low tones can increasingly no longer be heard by the patient. In most cases, the symptoms occur in only one ear, while bilateral Menière’s disease is extremely rare. In many cases, in addition to the hearing loss, there is also a whistling in the ear.
This whistling is often confused with the clinical picture of tinnitus. The sounds that can be produced in this way in the case of Meniere’s disease are varied and range from loud squeaks to deep humming tones. It is noticeable, however, that unlike the tinnitus, the tinnitus is not permanent and may be stronger at several times of the day and completely disappear at others.
The cause of this complex disease of the ear has not yet been fully clarified. It is assumed, however, that the cause is still unknown and that a so-called hydrops of the inner ear occurs. In this process, the pressure of the fluid in the inner ear increases.
This pressure also acts on the labyrinth system of the ear, which is responsible for the balance. Increased pressure on the system leads to a reduced function of the system and thus to the described dizziness symptoms. The described triad of symptoms also leads to psychological effects to a not inconsiderable extent.
One should therefore actually speak of four leading symptoms. Depending on the stage at which Meniere’s disease is treated, more or less pronounced psychological symptoms are added. These range from imbalance to anxiety disorders and panic attacks.The full manifestation of the psychological symptoms can lead to a complete loss of strength and a collapse, since severely affected patients can neither sleep properly nor come to rest, nor can they live a dizzying everyday life. Although the symptom triad of Menière’s disease is very severe and the patients are very burdened, the full expression of all symptoms makes it easier for the physician to make a diagnosis, because when all symptoms are described, the diagnosis is almost certain, further clarification is usually not necessary and treatment can be started quickly. Further information on this topic is available at Related topics that might be of interest: All topics published in the field of ENT can be found here:
- Meniere’s disease
- Morbus Menière Therapy
- Meniere’s disease Medications
- Ear
- Swindle
- Hearing loss
- Vestibular nerve
- ENT A-Z
