Meniere's Disease
It is a problem with the balancing and regulation of the fluid in the inner ear. The real cause of the disease
is unknown.
The inner ear is related to hearing and balance and consists of a fluid-filled capsule. In Meniere's disease, the pressure of this fluid increases. Increased pressure causes tinnitus, a feeling of congestion in the ear.
The disease is characterized by dizziness, fluctuations in hearing, tinnitus and a feeling of fullness in the ear.
Anxiety, vomiting, loss of balance, sweating and diarrhea.
Attacks usually have a sudden onset and their duration can vary between 20 minutes and 24 hours. In many
cases, attacks come one after the other. There are frequently recurring attacks that last for weeks, and a return to normal takes weeks or months. Hearing loss is due to damage to the auditory nerve. In the early stages of the disease, hearing loss occurs during attacks and then returns to normal. As the disease progresses,
the ability of the auditory nerve to recover decreases and permanent hearing loss occurs.
Rarely, only intermittent dizziness
may be observed, without hearing loss, ear pressure or tinnitus. Likewise, intermittent hearing loss, ear pressure, and tinnitus may occur without dizziness.
Meniere's disease is usually seen in one ear, but it may be affected in both ears.
Drug treatment. : The purpose of drug therapy is to reduce the fluid pressure in the inner ear. This is achieved by eating less salt
and using diuretic drugs.
Salt causes water to be retained in the body, so salt restriction is made. Diuretics are also used for the same purpose. This treatment can be used for months or even
years to control the disease.
Drugs that suppress the balance system can also be added to the treatment. Essentially, these drugs prevent the brain from paying attention to abnormal warnings
coming from the ear.
In recent years, local drug use, which reduces the indication for surgical treatment, gives very good results.
By placing a tube in the eardrum and With the help of a long, thin syringe, directly from the eardrum to the middle ear
Injection medication such as Cortisone or Gentamicin By giving medications, attempts are made to reduce the edema in the inner ear and especially to prevent the damage of the balance
organ.
Surgical treatment: It is performed in cases where drug treatment is not successful and severe dizziness occurs.
To protect hearing. Every effort is made to prevent hearing loss, so after the operation, hearing usually remains the same, although it is possible that it may decrease. Tinnitus may get better or stay the same.
Benign Positional Vertigo
It is the most common cause of dizziness originating from the inner ear. It is believed that the complaints are the result of calcium precipitation somewhere in the inner ear. These depressions float freely in the inner ear fluid due to gravity and head movements.
They may occur spontaneously following viral disease or after head trauma.
In this disease, changes in head and body positions occur. Dizziness, light-headedness, sometimes accompanied by nausea, are observed. Complaints last a few seconds or minutes. When complaints
occur, the ear responsible is usually the ear pointed toward the floor. There are no complaints such as hearing loss, feeling of pressure in the ear
or ringing.
This is a benign condition because it resolves on its own. Recovery may take weeks, months, or rarely a year. Medications that suppress the balance system are used. Rarely, surgery may be required.
Vestibular Neuronitis
In this disease, swelling occurs in the nerve cells in the balance section of the inner ear. It is thought that the virus is the cause. People may say that they have an upper respiratory tract infection or a cold before their complaints begin. Sudden dizziness, nausea, and loss of balance are observed. Hearing is normal. Complaints are severe at the beginning, the person needs help walking for up to ten days, and it may take weeks or even months for the person to be able to do all his/her work and drive a car. When a person turns their head suddenly, they may continue to feel temporary dizziness or lightheadedness. This situation may last up to a year.
Drugs that suppress the balance system are used to relieve the complaints. Medicines are best taken three times a day
they are effective. As the dizziness begins to subside, medications are tapered and eventually discontinued. Rarely, if complaints persist for more than a year, surgery may be performed.
Complete recovery occurs when the brain and other ear functions take over. This process may last up to a year, and psychological and physical stress may lead to a temporary increase in complaints. Even if complaints increase with stress, it is important to increase physical activity over time. Know that what happens to you is a normal healing process
, keep in mind that it does not negatively affect your ear or your healing.
Perilymph Fistula
This condition can be caused by the plane landing, deep dive, head injury. It may occur as a result of sudden pressure change
in situations such as trauma. Pressure change may cause a tear in the membranes separating the middle ear and inner ear.
and inner ear fluid flows into the middle ear.
With head movements, 'dizziness' and 'feeling of light-headedness' occur.'Hearing. It may or may not be accompanied by "pressure or ringing in the ear".
Most of the time, this tear heals on its own and there is no need for treatment. In rare cases, dizziness becomes permanent.
If progressive hearing loss occurs, surgery may be required.
During the operation, this torn area is identified and repaired.
Acoustic Neuroma
Acoustic neuroma is the name given to the most common benign tumor in the balance nerve. The tumor grows very slowly, so
complaints may last for years before they become evident. 'Dizziness' is not usually seen, because the tumor grows slowly, and the brain and the other ear take over
its role. Instead, the patient may experience a feeling of imbalance. The first complaint that arises may be 'tinnitus'
. Tinnitus occurs when the growing tumor stimulates the nerve. As the tumor grows, the auditory
part of the nerve is also affected and hearing loss occurs.
Diagnosis is made by computerized tomography or magnetic resonance examinations.
Treatment is to remove the tumor by surgery.
Dizziness Due to Old Age
Like many changes that occur in old age, there are also changes in the systems responsible for maintaining balance. .
Changes affecting balance: In the elderly, just as hearing decreases, there is a decrease in the balance nerve's sensitivity to changes such as 'rotation,
acceleration'. There may be a decrease in the stimulations in the nerve or the brain may not be able to fully evaluate the signals coming to it. In both cases, the discomfort manifests itself as dizziness.
Decrease in vision, blurred vision or eye fatigue at close view may also occur. is added to it. This is caused by the decrease in the elasticity of the lenses
in the eye, and this can be corrected with bifocal glasses. Conditions such as eye pressure and cataracts also affect vision, leading to a decrease in the information going to the brain.
There are also changes in the muscles, fibers, and nerve endings in the joints in the arms and legs. To an advanced
degree in the spine. changes may occur or overall muscle mass may be reduced. Diseases such as diabetes and rheumatism cause the sensory nerves in the hand and arm to weaken, thus reducing the information transmitted to the brain about body position.
Symptoms of dizziness due to aging:
1- When turning quickly or changing position, bending down or standing up suddenly, looking down or up, feelings such as "dizziness, spinning, being in space" may occur.
2- While walking, It may feel like it tends to sway from side to side.
How can complaints be minimized?
There are no medications that will eliminate the complaints that occur in old age, but there are helpful ways:
Morning When you wake up, sit on the edge of the bed for a few minutes before getting out of bed. Move slowly when changing positions or turning. Keep something with you that will help you
balance yourself.
Looking up or down, bending down, or sitting up suddenly may cause "dizziness", so keep something nearby to hold on to.
Never walk in the dark. When you wake up at night, turn on a bright light. Keep a night
lamp in your bathroom. If you have problems walking, use a cane. Remember, you are not leaning on these objects,
you are increasing the information going to your brain through your arms and legs.
Diabetes, eye tanning If you have conditions such as hypertension, high blood pressure, rheumatism, keep them under control with appropriate
medications and diets
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