Meniere’s disease may not be the most common vertigo cause, but it certainly is one of the most recognizable. We are going to begin our discussion by taking a closer look at the four primary symptoms of Meniere’s. Then we will share some research that points to upper cervical chiropractic as the best way to get natural help.
There are four main symptoms that characterize this vestibular condition. Please note that while symptoms often appear in just one ear, both ears can be affected by Meniere’s. In fact, as the disease progresses, it becomes more likely for symptoms to become bilateral. So avoid giving in to invasive treatments with the idea that if something goes wrong at least you still have one functional ear. Keeping that in mind, here are the four main symptoms of Meniere’s disease.
Vertigo is a false sensation of movement that often presents as spinning, swaying or tilting. This is often the first symptom that leads to a Meniere’s diagnosis because not only is it a scary symptom to experience out of the blue, but it also is particularly severe when associated with this syndrome. Bouts last at least 20 minutes, whereas positional vertigo attacks are usually anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. Vertigo can last a full day at times and may lead to nausea, vomiting, and falls.
Tinnitus is the sound of buzzing, ringing, or a whooshing in the ear. It’s the sensation that you get after spending a long day working with power tools or attending a rock concert if you engage in such activities without proper ear protection. The difference is that the tinnitus associated with Meniere’s comes on without any seeming cause and is more severe in nature. It becomes one of the more debilitating symptoms as the disease progress because tinnitus tends to grow worse incrementally and can affect hearing.
Hearing loss is another good indicator of the progression of the disease because it generally becomes worse over time. It may start by affecting the low tones only but progress to impacting the higher end of the spectrum as well. Therefore, a hearing test is a critical part of the diagnostic process and may even indicate how far along the condition is.
Meniere’s patients often experience a phenomenon called endolymphatic hydrops. This means that the fluid in the inner ear (endolymph) fills up the canals beyond their standard capacity. The eustachian tubes are supposed to drain excess fluid away, so clearly something is stopping this process from occurring as usual. That pressure in the ear can also be responsible for the other symptoms of Meniere’s.
As a result, people once thought that the endolymphatic hydrops was the cause of Meniere’s. However, it is becoming clear that the real problem exists in the fact that the eustachian tubes are no longer functioning properly. To find the reason behind this occurrence, we need to look closer at the neck.
An upper cervical chiropractor spent nearly a decade performing case studies on more than 400 patients to show that there is a link between the alignment of the neck and the inability of the ears to drain correctly. The results of both extensive case studies were astounding.
The first case study involved 139 Meniere’s patients. All of the patients were living with Meniere’s as well as an upper cervical misalignment. When the practitioner provided gentle adjustments for the top two bones in the neck, 133 of the 139 found significant relief, particularly from vertigo. The average vertigo severity had been 8.5/10, but that was reduced to a mere 3.0/10 in only six weeks. When adjustments continued for a two-year period, vertigo severity continued shrinking to an average of 1.4/10.
Encouraged by the success of the first study, the second involved 300 patients over six years. The goal was to repeat the results or improve on them. Once again, a stunning 97% of the patients experienced significant benefits. Vertigo severity reduced by 90% throughout the study. As before, the most considerable benefits occurred during the first six weeks, and symptoms continued to improve as time passed.
As a result, researchers discovered that e upper cervical misalignment affects the eustachian tube function. For most patients in the studies, a head or neck injury that had occurred a decade or more before the onset of the disease was an underlying factor, revealing the gradual progression of the effects of such a misalignment.
As a result of this research, some patients have decided that upper cervical chiropractic care is the gentle and precise care they have been looking for. If you want to try a natural solution for your vertigo and other symptoms, especially if you have a history of head or neck trauma, we encourage you to give upper cervical care a try.
To learn more, locate a preferred practitioner in your area using the search feature on this site. Your first visit may set you on the path to improving your quality of life and overcoming this debilitating vestibular condition.
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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.
