Meniere's disease
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What is Meniere's disease?

Meniere's disease is a condition that affects your ears.

If you have Meniere's disease, you get attacks of:
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Alford BR.
Menière's disease: criteria for diagnosis and evaluation of therapy for reporting. Report of subcommittee on equilibrium and its measurement
Transactions - American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology. 1972;76:1462-1464.
 
 
 
 
 
1
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Pearson BW, Brackmann DE.
Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium Guidelines for reporting treatment results in Meniere's disease.
Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. 1985; 93: 578-581.
 
 
 
 
 
2
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium.
Guidelines for the diagnosis and evaluation of therapy in Meniere's disease.
Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. 1995; 113: 181-185.
 
 
 
 
 
3

  • Dizziness, like the room is spinning (vertigo)
  • Hearing loss.
During the attack, you may also get:

  • Ringing, roaring or other sounds in your ears (tinnitus)
  • Pressure or fullness in one ear or both ears.
We don't know exactly why people get Meniere's disease.

People who have Meniere's disease may have too much of a type of fluid called
 
 
 
 
 
lymph
Lymph is a clear or whitish liquid that is collected from all over the body and flows through the lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes (also called glands). It contains proteins and fats, some red blood cells, and many white blood cells, especially lymphocytes. Lymphocytes help the body fight infection.
 
 
 
 
 
lymph in the inner ear.

If you have Meniere's disease, you may have too much fluid in your inner ear.

But we don't know for sure if this extra fluid is what causes the disease.
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Hallpike C, Cairns H.
Observations on the pathology of Meniere's syndrome.
Journal of Laryngology and Otology. 1938; 53: 625-655.
 
 
 
 
 
4
 
 
 
 
 
Source:
Ruckenstein MJ, Harrison RV.
Cochlear pathology in Meniere's disease.
In: Harris JP (editor). Meniere's disease. Kugler Publications, Netherlands; 1999.
 
 
 
 
 
5

Some people may get some of these symptoms because of another problem, such as an
 
 
 
 
 
infection
You get an infection when viruses, bacteria, fungi or other tiny organisms get into your body. These bugs are so tiny that you can't see them without a microscope. For example, an infection in your airways causes the common cold. And an infection in your skin can cause rashes such as athlete's foot.
 
 
 
 
 
infection, a tumor (lump) or a broken bone near the ear. But with these problems, the symptoms usually happen all the time. With Meniere's disease, the symptoms usually come and go.

For more information, see Do I have Meniere's disease?

Sources for the information on this page:
  1. Alford BR.Menière's disease: criteria for diagnosis and evaluation of therapy for reporting. Report of subcommittee on equilibrium and its measurementTransactions - American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology. 1972;76:1462-1464.
  2. Pearson BW, Brackmann DE.Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium Guidelines for reporting treatment results in Meniere's disease.Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. 1985; 93: 578-581.
  3. Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium.Guidelines for the diagnosis and evaluation of therapy in Meniere's disease.Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. 1995; 113: 181-185.
  4. Hallpike C, Cairns H.Observations on the pathology of Meniere's syndrome.Journal of Laryngology and Otology. 1938; 53: 625-655.
  5. Ruckenstein MJ, Harrison RV.Cochlear pathology in Meniere's disease.In: Harris JP (editor). Meniere's disease. Kugler Publications, Netherlands; 1999.
This information was last updated on Apr 14, 2009
BMJ Group
This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
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