Most patients who go to a chiropractor for vertigo wonder what led them to develop Meniere’s disease. Unfortunately, studies have yet to uncover the actual cause of the disease. Some theorize that it stems from inner ear infections. Others believe that it may have something to do with poor fluid drainage in the inner ears. Interestingly, a recent study suggests another possible cause of the disease – a rare gene mutation. Let’s look into this plus all the other potential triggers of Meniere’s below.
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A team of scientists has recently discovered a rare gene mutation that might be the key trigger of Meniere’s disease in 2021. Based on the premise that Meniere’s disease is hereditary, researchers from the University of Granada (UGR) and GENYO looked into the possibility of finding a gene mutation in patients with Meniere’s.
The study looked into 62 families affected by Meniere’s. Notably, they found that members of the family who have the disease also happen to have a rare mutation in their MYO7Agene. This specific ear gene codes for the structural design of the inner ear cells. In addition to the MYO7Agene, the researchers also found other uncommon gene mutations, including CDH23, PCDH15, and ADGRV1.
They explained that mutations in these genes could affect the quality of the inner ear hair cells, which play a significant part in detecting mechanical and audio signals. The genes involved also affect the protein used to build stereocilia. Like the hair cells, these neurosensory cells also help your brain detect sounds and changes in body orientation and movement.
Your choice of diet can significantly impact several aspects of your health, including the onset of Meniere’s disease symptoms. This is why, doctors often remind patients with Meniere’s to mind their diet choices and avoid excessive consumption of food high in food additives and sodium. Notably, both ingredients can increase water reabsorption. It can increase the pressure buildup inside the ears and disrupt the normal functions of your vestibular system.
Are you constantly under immense pressure because of work, relationships, and other aspects of life? Chances are, you often experience severe flare-ups of your Meniere’s disease symptoms. A study notes that emotional stress can aggravate Meniere’s within three hours of exposure to the stressors.
Besides emotional stress, other studies note that mental health problems like depression and anxiety can also worsen Meniere’s disease symptoms. Notably, around 63 percent of patients diagnosed with Meniere’s also have depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems.
Are you among the patients who experience worse vertigo attacks because of weather changes or shifting seasons? Researchers explain that this mostly happens because of barometric pressure fluctuations. Notably, air pressure changes can cause the excess fluids to back up the canals and accumulate inside the endolymphatic chambers. This causes abnormal fluid buildup in the ears that can only improve once the barometric pressure stabilizes.
Besides barometric pressure fluctuations, Meniere’s disease can also worsen because of seasonal allergies. During spring, the flowers bloom and release pollen grains into the air. Unfortunately, people with pollen grain sensitivity experience allergic reactions that aggravate Meniere’s symptoms.
Allergies tend to stimulate the body’s inflammatory response. When this happens, pressure will increase in the vestibular system and increase the likelihood of worse bouts of vertigo, tinnitus, and ear congestion.
Poor posture is a common problem regardless of sex, race, gender, and occupation. Some have postural issues because of poor practices like slouching or checking phones under the desk. On the other hand, others develop poor body posture because of cervical subluxation, head injuries, neck trauma, and degenerative disc diseases.
Sadly, if you have postural imbalances, you become more likely to aggravate Meniere’s disease symptoms. This happens because when your spine doesn’t follow the correct curvature, you develop problems such as:
Thankfully, you can manage this problem with the help of a chiropractor for vertigo. Gradual adjustments of misaligned bones like the C1 and C2 can cancel out the problems caused by postural imbalances.
Navigating through challenges brought by Meniere’s can be difficult. Thankfully, regardless of what caused your condition, you can take advantage of holistic remedies such as upper cervical chiropractic. As a natural remedy for Meniere’s disease, upper cervical care aims to provide patients like you with sustainable and lasting relief. The technique does that by restoring balance in your nervous system using careful and gentle neck bone adjustments.
Patients who never tried upper cervical care before should expect to undergo a thorough examination of the neck structure. This helps a cervical chiropractic doctor gauge how far the bone shifted and how the cervical spine changes affected your overall health.
Besides assessing the C1 and C2 bone alignment, your upper cervical care doctor also needs to run other diagnostic tests like checking changes in your gait and even nerve damages. Then, using the findings from the initial assessment, your doctor can recommend a specific care plan to realign your C1 and C2 bones.
It will definitely take time for medical experts, healthcare practitioners, and researchers to pinpoint the exact cause of Meniere’s. But, for now, upper cervical care offers a silver lining that can help you minimize the impact of your symptoms and live a normal and vertigo-free life.
Look for a chiropractor for vertigo in your city today and begin exploring upper cervical care!
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TV show host Montel Williams describes how specific chiropractic care has helped his body.
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.
