Meniere's Disease: Is It Behind Your Dizzy Spells And Wooziness?

If you suffer from frequent dizzy spells, bouts of wooziness, or temporary episodes of hearing loss, you may wonder if you have an ear or sinus infection. You may actually have something wrong with the tissues hidden deep inside your inner ear. Numerous things can cause inner ear problems, including Meniere's disease. Learn more about Meniere's disease and its treatments below.

What Exactly Is Meniere's Disease?

The tissues inside your inner ear are crucial to your health and well-being. These tissues include the auditory nerve, cochlea, and vestibular. The auditory nerve receives important information from the cochlea and relays it to your brain, and the vestibular controls your body's balance and equilibrium. If fluid builds up around the auditory nerve, cochlea, or vestibular, you can develop Meniere's disease.

Meniere's disease usually occurs between 20 and 50 years of age. People who have the disorder often feel dizzy, woozy, faint, and off-balance. Some individuals experience vertigo, fullness in the ear, and intermittent hearing loss. The symptoms can come and go, or they can remain constant.

Although Meniere's disease is permanent, you can treat it with an ENT's help. 

What Can You Do to Overcome Meniere's Disease?

An ENT specialist will need to examine your inner ear for fluid buildup. If a doctor detects extra fluid in your ear, they'll try to find out why. Ears can build up with fluid if you have an allergy or sinus infection. Fluid can also form inside the ear if you have a disease that damages your immune system. After an ENT diagnoses the cause of your ear disorder, they'll treat you.

The treatment used to control Meniere's disease can vary from individual to individual. Some people take water pills (diuretics) to control the fluid buildup inside their inner ears. Other people may to take anti-vertigo medications to reduce the effects of Meniere's disease. If your situation is dire, an ENT doctor may surgically remove the fluid and pressure from inside your ear. 

If your hearing loss becomes permanent, a doctor may improve it with hearing aids and other mechanical devices. Hearing aids can improve the functions of your auditory nerve and cochlea. If you experience any issues with wearing your hearing aids, consult with your doctor right away. A ENT or hearing specialist can examine your hearing devices to see if they work as expected. 

If you would like to know more about Meniere's disease and how it affects you, contact a specialized clinic such as Wakefield Hearing Center.

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