Home > Menieres Disease • Meniere's Disease Treatment |
Menieres Disease • Meniere's Disease Treatment |
| Menieres disease is a disorder of the inner ear. The primary symptoms include recurring episodes of vertigo (dizziness), fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus (tinnitus associated with Menieres disease is often low-pitched ringing), and aural fullness (feeling of pressure in the ear). The cause of Menieres disease is not well understood, and typical Meniere's disease treatment is often geared toward providing symptom relief. |
| What Causes Menieres Disease? |
| Menieres disease is most often attributed to inner ear viral infections, improper fluid balance, auto-immune disorders, allergies, head injury, genetic predisposition, and acoustic trauma. It must be noted that the scientific community does not universally give equal weight to all of those causal factors, but because no one factor can be identified, it may be that Meniere's syndrome results from a combination of factors. It is frequently associated with abnormal volume or distribution of fluid in the inner ear, but that condition appears to be more of a symptom than a cause. The upshot is that the cause of Menieres disease is presently unknown. |
| Meniere's Disease Treatment: |
| Meniere's disease treatment often includes drugs to reduce vertigo (eg., Antivert, Compazine, or Phenergan) and drugs to control fluid level in the inner ear (diuretics, eg., Diamox, Maxide, Lasix). In addition, a low salt diet may be prescribed along with the use of diuretics. Because some diuretics can decrease potassium, supplements may also be prescribed. Once the vertigo subsides and ear pressure improves, medication is usually withdrawn incrementally, and may be reapplied for recurring spells. In severe cases, surgery may be required. Conventional medical treatment for tinnitus associated with Menieres disease is limited, just as it is for treating tinnitus in general. The good news is that Meniere's tinnitus usually responds well to natural treatment, as does tinnitus in general. |
| Treating Menieres Disease Tinnitus Via Lifestyle Changes: |
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Not only treating Meniere's tinnitus, but any regimen for Menieres disease can be enhanced markedly by following sound lifestyle habits. Below are some excellent tips for lessening the severity of tinnitus and other Menieres disease symptoms. |
| • Eat well-balanced foods regularly, including vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals, fresh fruits and whole grains. Eating regularly helps to keep body fluid fluctuations to a minimum, and healthy foods enhance the body's immune defense system and overall health, helping the body to heal itself. |
| • Drink plenty of fluids, including water and low sugar fruit juices. Fluid intake, as with eating, should be regular in order to minimize fluctuations in body fluids. |
| • Consider a nutritional supplement such as Lipoflavonoid which has been shown in numerous tests to improve inner ear health as well as overall health. |
| • Avoid exposure to loud sounds. Whether the Meniere's tinnitus is noise-induced or not, loud noise can exacerbate tinnitus symptoms. |
| • Lessen stress, because stress can make tinnitus worse. Managing stress through relaxation therapy, exercise, hypnosis, yoga, etc., can provide relief from tinnitus and overall health benefits. |
| • Control exposure to allergens, and manage allergies with proper treatment, due to the association of allergies and tinnitus and Meniere's disease. |
| • Limit salt consumption, because sodium can increase fluid retention. Be sure to check for sodium levels on food lablels, and pay attention to monosodium glutamate (MSG) content, as well. |
| • Avoid caffeine, found in certain foods and beverages such as chocolate, coffee, tea, soft drinks, etc., because caffeine is a known aggravator of tinnitus. |
| • Avoid nicotine, for nicotine can not only aggravate Meniere's tinnitus, but Menieres disease symptoms in general, by constricting blood flow in the ear, and elsewhere. |
| • Keep intake of alcoholic beverages to a minimum. |
| • Avoid aspirin and medications that contain aspirin, since aspirin can cause tinnitus. Check for the side effects of other medications you may be taking, for there are a number of over the counter and prescription drugs that can cause or aggravate tinnitus. |
| Other Meniere's Disease Treatment Options: |
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For more about Meniere's disease treatment options in general, Menieres Disease Information Center is a good website to explore. Some of the information presented is a bit technical, but still understandable.
To learn more about treatment options for Menieres disease tinnitus, Tinnitus Miracle, by Thomas Coleman, is a comprehensive tinnitus resource. |
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