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Meniere’s disease, characterized by abnormal inner ear function, is one of the worst known vertigo-causing health conditions. This ailment was first described back in 1861 by a French physician, Prosper Meniere, for which the disease is now named. Meniere’s disease typically affects one ear, can cause pressure, pain, hearing loss, ringing in the ear, and severe episodes of dizziness or vertigo.
People of any age can develop Meniere’s disease, but those in their 40s or 50s are more likely to experience it. It is considered to be a chronic condition with no cure and is traditionally managed with medications and lifestyle modifications in an effort to minimize symptoms and lengthen the time between attacks.
What are the Symptoms of Meniere’s Disease?
The symptoms of Meniere’s disease can vary greatly before, during, and after an attack. There are four symptoms that the majority of Meniere’s sufferers share in common:
Fullness in the ear
Meniere’s disease sufferers will feel as if the affected ear is full or pressurized.
Tinnitus
Ringing, buzzing, whistling, hissing or roaring sounds can be heard in the affected ear.
Fluctuations in hearing
Healing loss associated with Meniere’s disease can come and go, especially early on in the progression of the condition. Over time, hearing loss can become permanent.
Vertigo
Spontaneous sensations of whirling or spinning can occur without warning and last for several hours. Severe vertigo episodes, known as drop attacks, can also cause nausea, vomiting, and loss of balance.
In addition to these four hallmark symptoms, Meniere’s disease sufferers may experience related symptoms either during attacks or in between them including blurry vision, abnormal eye movements (nystagmus), cold sweats, rapid pulse rate, changes in appetite, fatigue, diarrhea, stiff neck, and more.
What Causes Meniere’s Disease?
The exact cause of Meniere’s disease has been the source of much discussion and disagreement. What is known is that Meniere’s disease sufferers experience an excess buildup of fluid, called endolymph, in the canals of the inner ear. There has been no shortage of mechanisms proposed for what the cause behind Meniere’s disease is. Possible cause or triggers of Meniere’s disease include:
- Head or neck injury
- Allergies
- Stress
- Alcohol consumption
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Recent viral illness
- Respiratory infection
- Circulation problems
- Migraine
- Autoimmune response
- Family history of the condition
Meniere’s disease episodes can occur in clusters when a person might experience a series of attacks within a short period of time. It can also be that following an attack, months or even years can pass with only mild or even no symptoms whatsoever. The fact that the disease can follow such an unpredictable course is one of the reasons why uncovering the root cause of it has proven difficult for many doctors and researchers.
Common Meniere’s Relief Options
Relief care for Meniere’s disease that are commonly used can be classified under two categories: those designed to reduce the severity of an attack once it has already started and those that aim to reduce the number and severity of attacks in the future. Some of the most widely recommended options include:
- Low-sodium diet – the goal of reducing dietary salt intake is to try and reduce the fluid-related pressure in the inner ear. In addition to a reduced-sodium diet, diuretics (“water pills”) are often recommended.
- Medications – a variety of medications are used to treat the various symptoms associated with Meniere’s disease. Anti-nausea and anti-anxiety medications can be used to reduce vertigo, nausea, vomiting, and the anxiety that often comes during an attack. Steroids are also used to treat vertigo, and in more severe cases, gentamicin (an antibiotic) can be applied to the inner ear to effectively destroy the vestibular tissues.
- Vestibular rehabilitation – in between Meniere’s attacks, vestibular rehabilitation therapies can help to restore a more normal sense of balance.
- Surgery – as a last resort, surgery might be recommended for more severe Meniere’s cases. It can involve destroying the inner ear so that it can no longer generate balance information or destroying the vestibular nerve over which those balance signals are transmitted to the brain.
Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care Yields Promising Results
The trouble with most of the commonly offered relief options for Meniere’s disease is that they are aimed at providing symptom management. All too often, people are put into the position where they must settle for accepting their current condition and resigning themselves to the inevitable progression of their disease. For those who are looking for a natural and effective way to address the root cause of Meniere’s disease, upper cervical chiropractic care is the perfect option.
Upper cervical care has demonstrated consistent, positive outcomes for people suffering from Meniere’s disease. For example, in a research study of 300 Meniere’s patients, 97% showed improvement or complete disappearance of the intensity and duration of their vertigo attacks under upper cervical care. At Source Chiropractic and Wellness, we work with each of our patients to complete a thorough health history and evaluation to determine if an upper cervical misalignment – a displacement of the vertebrae that sit at the junction between the head and neck – is a contributing factor in the course of their Meniere’s disease progression.
Upper cervical chiropractic care is designed to be a long-term solution rather than a quick fix. The goal is to correct and stabilize the upper cervical spine to restore integrity and normal function to your body’s central nervous system. Realigning the atlas vertebra with upper cervical specific techniques can address the underlying cause of the multitude of Meniere’s symptoms. To learn more about how we can help you get back to feeling better, contact our office at 385-237-3110 to schedule an obligation-free consultation.
References:
https://vestibular.org/menieres-disease
https://www.healthyhearing.com/help/tinnitus/menieres-disease
Burcon MT, Health outcomes following cervical specific protocol in 300 patients with Meniere’s followed over six years. J Upper Cervical Chiropr Res 2016; Jun 2:13-23.
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