What is Meniere’s Disease ?

In 1861, a French physician by the name of Prosper Meniere described a disorder of the inner ear that today bears his name. The condition causes episodes of Vertigo, Tinnitus (ringing in the ears), a feeling of pressure or fullness in the ear, and fluctuating episodes of hearing loss.

Meniere's, Vertigo and Tinnitus An episode of Meniere’s generally involves an acute case of Vertigo, balance problems, nausea, and vomiting. An average attack of Meniere’s can last anywhere from two to four hours. Most people suffer exhaustion after an attack and find it necessary to sleep for a few hours or more.

Some people report experiencing brief shocks during an episode while others report constant unsteadiness throughout. One unusual variant of Meniere’s is the Invisible Hand: a sensation that makes the sufferer feel like he or she is being pushed over. Meniere’s also carries with it a high sensitivity to visual stimuli and causes acute cases of nystagmus eye trouble.

Vertigo and Tinnitus are common symptoms associated with Meniere’s disease. Effective treatment of Meniere’s can also have a dramatic affect on both. Here is a brief definition of each along with common symptoms. Have you experienced any of them?

Vertigo

Vertigo is characterised by a sensation of spinning or dizziness. If you have Vertigo, you probably have episodes where you feel like you’re spinning or that the place you occupy is spinning. Vertigo is most often caused by a problem in the inner ear.

Tinnitus

Tinnitus is characterised by noise or ringing in the ears. It is a common problem that affects nearly 1 person out of 5. Tinnitus is a symptom of a specific underlying condition like Meniere’s disease. It could also be a product of age-related hearing loss or inner ear injury. Other more severe issues can present with Tinnitus but they are rare and often also age-related.

Treating Meniere’s, Tinnitus, and Vertigo

The medical community is sometimes long on explanations but short on solutions. This is not to say that you can’t trust the opinions or advice of your doctor – you can and you should – but some doctors are quicker to embrace holistic remedies than others.

If you suffer from any of the above conditions or symptoms, I would like to suggest giving TOMATIS® Sound therapy a try. TOMATIS® targets stimulating the inner ear and teaching it how to process auditory signals. Quite often, the symptoms of Meniere’s originate with auditory processing issues that can be reversed with the use of TOMATIS® Sound therapy.

Since the inner ear is what controls balance, if its function is compromised it makes sense that the result would be balance issues. Vertigo, Tinnitus, and the other symptoms of Meniere’s originate in the inner ear and are the body’s way of alerting us to an imbalance in the inner ear.