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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffThe primary signs and symptoms of Meniere's disease are:
- Recurring episodes of vertigo. Vertigo is similar to the sensation you experience if you spin around quickly several times and suddenly stop. You feel as if the room is still spinning, and you lose your balance. Episodes of vertigo occur without warning and usually last 20 minutes to two hours or more, up to 24 hours. Severe vertigo can cause nausea and vomiting.
- Hearing loss. Hearing loss in Meniere's disease may fluctuate, particularly early in the course of the disease. Eventually, most people experience some degree of permanent hearing loss.
- Tinnitus. Tinnitus is the perception of a ringing, buzzing, roaring, whistling or hissing sound in your ear. With Meniere's disease, tinnitus is often low-pitched.
- Aural fullness. Aural fullness is the feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear.
A typical episode might start with a feeling of fullness in your ear, increasing tinnitus and decreasing hearing followed by severe vertigo, often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Such an episode might last two to three hours, after which signs and symptoms improve. Episodes often occur in clusters, with long periods of mild or no symptoms (remission) between.
Still, the severity, frequency and duration of each of these sensory perception problems vary, especially early in the disease. For example, you could have frequent episodes with severe vertigo and only mild disturbances in other sensations. Or you may experience mild vertigo and hearing loss infrequently but have frequent tinnitus that disturbs your sleep.
When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you experience any signs or symptoms of Meniere's disease. Because any one of these problems may be the result of other illnesses, it's important to get an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible.
Vertigo is an uncommon but possible sign of other disorders, such as stroke, brain tumor, multiple sclerosis, or diseases of your heart or blood vessels (cardiovascular disease). See your primary care doctor immediately if vertigo is accompanied by any of the following signs or symptoms:
- Headache that is unusual or severe for you
- Double vision or loss of vision
- Speech impairment
- Leg or arm weakness
- Loss of consciousness
- Falling or difficulty walking
- Numbness or tingling
- Chest pain
- Rapid or slow heart rate
- Schessel DA, et al. Meniere's disease and other peripheral vestibular disorders: Vertigo lasting minutes to hours. In: Cummings CW, et al. Cummings: Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2005. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/190360996-4/0/1263/1291.html?tocnode=49546577&fromURL=1291.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01985-4..50146-5--cesec3_5425. Accessed March 16, 2010.
- Meniere's disease. American Hearing Research Foundation. http://www.american-hearing.org/disorders/menieres-disease/. Accessed March 15, 2010.
- Meniere's disease. American Academy of Otolaryngology. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/menieresDisease.cfm. Accessed March 19, 2010.
- Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium guidelines for the diagnosis and evaluation of therapy in Meniere's disease. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. 1995;113:181.
- Hamed S, et al. Meniere's disease. Lancet. 2008;372:406.
- Dinces EA, et al. Meniere's disease. http://www.uptodatecom/home/index.html. Accessed March 16, 2010.
- Heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest warning signs. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3053. Accessed March 21, 2010.
- Meniere's disease. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec08/ch086/ch086f.html?qt=meniere's%20disease&alt=sh. Accessed March 21, 2010.
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