Meniere's disease is a condition that occurs due to the involvement of the inner ear. The inner ear is mainly involved in important functions such as hearing and balance.
What is Meniere's Disease?
Due to the effects of the structures in this area of the ear, a severe spinning sensation called vertigo may occur. Influence of inner ear structures can also lead to other hearing complaints such as tinnitus. Meniere's disease usually affects only one ear.
Meniere's disease is an inner ear disease characterized by hearing loss, tinnitus and dizziness. In most cases, this disease tends to progress slowly and over time, it can reach dimensions that can negatively affect the daily activities of the person. The incidence of this disease is approximately 500 per 100000 people. It is frequently detected in the elderly and female gender.
What are the Causes of Meniere's Disease?
Although the underlying cause of Meniere's disease has not been fully revealed, scientists have identified this ailment as internal predicts that it occurs as a result of changes in the fluid level in the tube structures in the ear. Autoimmune diseases, allergies and genetic problems in which the body's immune system causes destruction by creating antibodies against its own tissues and cells are also among the causes of Meniere's disease.
Systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis are among the autoimmune diseases associated with Meniere's disease. . Another health condition that is considered to be associated with this disorder is migraine.
What are the Symptoms of Meniere's Disease?
Many signs and symptoms may occur in individuals with Meniere's disease: · Vertigo (the person himself or what he sees) Vertigo is a misperception problem characterized by the rotation of the person's environment and surrounding objects. Sudden attacks of vertigo, which usually lasts for several hours, may occur due to excess fluid accumulating in the inner ear in Meniere's disease. · Hearing Loss Individuals with Meniere's disease may experience problems with hearing in the affected ear. Depending on the extent of the exposure, it may vary from hard of hearing to deafness. Hearing losses occur. TinnitusTinnitus is the medical term for a ringing or buzzing sound in the ear. This situation, which occurs without any external warning, may accompany psychiatric conditions such as stress, depression and anxiety apart from Meniere's disease. related problems may occur. Especially during vertigo attacks, patients should be careful in terms of loss of balance. This may lead to falls that cause bone fractures and various other injuries. How is Meniere's Disease Diagnosed?
After the patient applies to health institutions with Meniere's disease complaints, it is evaluated whether the patient's current complaints are due to Meniere's disease in line with the physical examination and requested examinations performed by the physicians. There are a number of diagnostic criteria that are evaluated for the presence of Experiencing two or more vertigo attacks that vary between approximately 20 minutes and 12 hours, · hearing problems such as congestion or ringing in the affected ear, · these complaints have not arisen due to any other disease in the inner ear, · Detection of low and medium frequency sounds with audiometric tests and detection of sensorineural hearing loss are among the basic diagnostic criteria of Meniere's disease. If there is a hearing loss, these are the tests that reveal the degree of hearing loss. During this test, the patient is listened to sounds at various heights and frequencies by means of a headset. The patient states which sounds he/she hears and in the light of this information, there is hearing loss. It is evaluated that there is no up.
· Sensorineural hearing loss, which is detected only in low frequency sounds at the beginning, may progress to a state of deafness that will cover all frequencies over time. Except for audiometric tests, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be applied to all patients with unilateral hearing loss in order to exclude different diseases in the inner ear. Thanks to high resolution MRI, the degree of fluid in the affected ear can be determined.
The vestibulocochlear nerve, which is responsible for the perception of hearing, is located in the inner ear. Hearing loss may occur in people due to the involvement of this nerve.
· Electrocochleography test enables the measurement of electrical activity in the inner ear structures. Thus, any nerve damage condition can be detected.
· Balance tests are also important in the diagnosis of Meniere's disease, and electronystagmography test is among the balance tests applied in individuals with this disorder. In the electronystagmography test, the movement of the pupils is examined with the help of electrodes placed around the eyes. During this test, involuntary eye movements that occur after applying hot and cold water to the ears are examined and it is evaluated whether there is any problem with the inner ear structures.
How to Treat Meniere's Disease?
Currently, there is no method that provides a complete cure for Meniere's disease. In the treatment planning of Meniere's disease, which is a chronic health problem, drugs are used to control the complaints that occur in people. For the treatment of vertigo attacks, drugs used in cases such as motion sickness can be used. If nausea and vomiting occur frequently during attacks, physicians may prescribe antiemetic drugs to the patient. Thanks to diuretic drugs, the amount of water retained in the body decreases and complaints can be improved.
Another method used in the treatment of Meniere's disease is drug injections into the inner ear. injection their aim is to control the complaint of vertigo.
Treatment planning of Meniere's disease is evaluated in a wide scope from lifestyle changes to surgical intervention. Restricting salt intake is one of the leading lifestyle changes that can be made to prevent vertigo attacks. Apart from salt restriction, foods and beverages containing caffeine, chocolate, alcohol and monosodium glutamate, known as Chinese salt, are among the foodstuffs that can trigger the symptoms of Meniere's disease. · Exercises for Meniere's disease and increasing fluid consumption are other lifestyle practices that can be applied. · Other than nutrition, resting during vertigo attacks, controlling psychological conditions such as stress and anxiety, avoiding allergens, cessation of tobacco use are other methods that can be applied for the control of Meniere's disease. It is evaluated among lifestyle changes.
Medicine Treatment of Meniere's Disease
Antihistamine group drugs can be beneficial in controlling Vertigo attacks occurring in this disorder by acting on histamine, which plays a role in many events in the body. .
· Another drug used in the first step in the treatment of Meniere's disease is thiazide diuretics. These drugs can be used to reduce the level of fluid accumulated in the inner ear. Steroids or antibiotic drugs can be used in intratympanic injections that can be made into the inner ear through the eardrum. Intratympanic steroid injections may be effective in reducing the number of vertigo attacks in individuals with Meniere's disease. Intratympanic antibiotic injection, on the other hand, can cause damage to the cells in the inner ear and control the symptoms caused by this disease. In people for whom medical treatment is insufficient, surgical interventions called vestibular nerve cutting or labyrinthectomy can be applied. After labyrinthectomy, a state of complete deafness occurs in the ear where the application is made. you can play. To reach us, you can use the contact form on our website or call 444 0436.
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