Only about 0.2% of people in the US have Meniere’s disease. So while vertigo is extremely common as a symptom, this condition that causes it is rather rare. On the other hand, while many people with vertigo never find out the underlying cause, Meniere’s disease is rather easy to detect.
While there is no direct test for Meniere’s disease, it does have a set of symptoms that make it easier to identify. Here are the four primary symptoms of Meniere’s disease.
While vertigo occurs with dozens of diseases and syndromes, the severity of vertigo associated with Meniere’s helps to set it apart. You may find that bouts last anywhere from 20 minutes up to an entire day. The episodes can also come on suddenly, leading to falls.
Tinnitus refers to a rushing, humming, or buzzing sound in the ear. This sound is not caused by any external stimuli, but rather, is a symptom of Meniere’s. It may relate to excess fluid in the inner ear, a problem with the vestibular nerve, or an issue in the central nervous system.
Hearing loss that is associated with Meniere’s disease is usually temporary and only occurs during an attack. However, as the condition progresses, hearing loss may grow worse or become permanent. Hearing loss may also occur as a result of injections or surgery performed for severe cases of Meniere’s.
Meniere’s usually affects just one ear. A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear can help you to identify where the problem is. However, you can have Meniere’s in both ears, and an untreated case may eventually occur in the previously unaffected ear.
Unfortunately, sometimes a writer can make a mistake that is not caught by an editor. It appears this is the case regarding the prevalence of Meniere’s in the US. You may find a number of articles saying that 2% of people have this disease (it is only 0.2%, as we have already stated). This myth appears to have come from a math error by a writer.
The journalist linked to a 2013 study, relating the figure of 615,000 Americans having Meniere’s. Rather than copying the number, the writer tried to figure out the percentage and put the decimal in the wrong place. Now, many articles have made the same mistake, citing that article. It is a good reminder not to believe everything you read on the Internet.
This misunderstanding exists because many websites refer to Meniere’s disease as endolymphatic hydrops. As a result, some people mistakenly think that endolymphatic hydrops (an overabundance of fluid in the ear) is the ultimate cause of Meniere’s. However, not all Meniere’s patients suffer from excessive fluid in the affected ear(s).
So there are two reasons you need to reject this misinformation. First of all, not all cases of Meniere’s are directly related to endolymphatic hydrops. Second, even cases that are related need to go deeper to determine what is causing the fluid buildup. Otherwise, you will spend the rest of your life just trying to reduce the fluid, rather than fixing the underlying problem.
The misunderstanding here is that Meniere’s disease only occurs for middle-age people. While the average age for the onset of symptoms is somewhere between 40 and 60, this doesn’t mean younger people cannot get it. You could also experience Meniere’s for the first time as a senior citizen. Don’t rule out Meniere’s just because you are not in the most common age bracket for the onset of symptoms.
Just how common is it to end up with Meniere’s disease in both ears? While it is rare to have this disease in the first place, you can’t say that bilateral symptoms are unusual. One study found that, depending on associated conditions, your risk can be anywhere from 5-50%!
It is essential to understand this because some treatments for severe cases of Meniere’s may potentially be destructive. For example, some of the injectables or surgeries present the risk of permanent hearing loss. You may be willing to risk giving up hearing in one ear to get rid of the disease. However, you need to understand the risk that the condition will reemerge in the other ear.
If someone tries to tell you natural help for Meniere’s does not exist, they are mistaken. First of all, doctors recommend many ways to reduce your symptoms. For example, a doctor may suggest a low-sodium diet, encourage you to drink more water, and discourage heavy use of alcohol or caffeine. These are all-natural lifestyle changes you can make to combat Meniere’s.
We would also like to recommend upper cervical specific chiropractic as a possible way to get help for Meniere’s symptoms. Case studies back up the efficacy of this natural therapy. Take, for example, a 55-year-old man with Meniere’s who also had an atlas misalignment. After an upper cervical chiropractor corrected the misaligned, the patient claimed that there were instant benefits. Following just two weeks of care, the patient said that all of his symptoms were gone.
If you are living with Meniere’s disease, especially if you have a history of head or neck trauma, this could be the right alternative for you. Contact an upper cervical chiropractic practitioner in your area today to learn more.
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The content and materials provided in this web site are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. All content and materials including research papers, case studies and testimonials summarizing patients' responses to care are intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been present.
