Meniere's disease


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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Meniere's disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes spontaneous episodes of vertigo — a sensation of a spinning motion — along with fluctuating hearing loss, ringing in the ear (tinnitus), and sometimes a feeling of fullness or pressure in your ear. In many cases, Meniere's disease affects only one ear.

People in their 40s and 50s are more likely than people in other age groups to develop Meniere's disease, but it can occur in anyone, even children.

Although Meniere's disease is considered a chronic condition, various treatment strategies can help relieve symptoms and minimize the disease's long-term impact on your life.

Symptoms
References
  1. Flint PW, et al. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05283-2..X0001-8--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05283-2&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed Aug. 31, 2012.
  2. Meniere's disease. Vestibular DisordersAssociation. http://vestibular.org/menieres-disease. Accessed Aug. 31, 2012.
  3. Dinces EA, et al. Meniere disease. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Aug. 30, 2012.
  4. Lalwani AK. Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery. 3rd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=39. Accessed Aug. 29, 2012.
  5. Rauch SD. Clinical hints and precipitating factors in patients suffering from Meniere's disease. Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America. 2010;43:1011.
  6. Heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest warning signs. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/General/Heart-Attack-Stroke-and-Cardiac-Arrest-Signs_UCM_303977_SubHomePage.jsp. Accessed Aug. 31, 2012.
  7. Meniere's disease. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/menieresDisease.cfm. Accessed Aug. 31, 2012.
  8. Meniere's disease. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/balance/pages/meniere.aspx. Accessed Aug. 31, 2012.
  9. Potassium. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/potassium. Accessed Aug. 31, 2012.
  10. Sodium (salt or sodium chloride). American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Sodium-Salt-or-Sodium-Chloride_UCM_303290_Article.jsp. Accessed Aug. 31, 2012.
  11. Neff BA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 18, 2012.
  12. Neff BA, et al. Auditory and vestibular symptoms and chronic subjective dizziness in patients with Meniere's disease, vestibular migraine, and Meniere's disease with concomitant vestibular migraine. Otology & Neurotology. 2012;33:1235.
DS00535 Dec. 11, 2012

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