Ménière’s disease

Overview

A chronic disease that affects the inner ear, though typically only one ear. The onset of symptoms is typically a result of fluid building up in the inner ear (specifically the labyrinth compartment of the inner ear that controls the human body’s balance and hearing capacities).

Common Symptoms

Recurrent sudden spells of vertigo (dizziness), hearing loss (may vary, but eventually becomes permanent), sensations of pressure in the ear, and ringing/buzzing/humming in the ear (tinnitus).

Coexisting Diseases and Conditions

Systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and frequent migraines. 

Risk Factors and Prevalence

Having a previous viral infection, abnormal anatomic/physical blockage or previous trauma of the inner ear, noise pollution, having other autoimmune conditions, being older, being Caucasian, being female, and having a higher BMI have all been found to be risk factors for developing Meniere’s Disease.

Sources

  1. Article Sources

    1. Frejo, L., Soto-Varela, A., Santos-Perez, S., Aran, I., Batuecas-Caletrio, A., Perez-Guillen, V., Perez-Garrigues, H., Fraile, J., Martin-Sanz, E., Tapia, M. C., Trinidad, G., García-Arumi, A. M., González-Aguado, R., Espinosa-Sanchez, J. M., Marques, P., Perez, P., Benitez, J., & Lopez-Escamez, J. A. (2016). Clinical Subgroups in Bilateral Meniere Disease. Frontiers in neurology, 7, 182. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2016.00182.

    2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). What Is Ménière’s Disease? – Diagnosis and Treatment. National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/menieres-disease. 

    3. U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2020, August 18). Ménière disease: MedlinePlus Genetics. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/meniere-disease/#:~:text=Most%20cases%20of%20M%C3%A9ni%C3%A8re%20disease,autosomal%20dominant%20pattern%20of%20inheritance. 

    4. Mayo Clinic Staff. (2020, December 2). Meniere’s disease. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menieres-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20374910.  

    5. NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders). (n.d.). Ménière’s Disease. NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders). https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/menieres-disease/#:~:text=Such%20researchers%20suggest%20that%20mutations,14%20(14q12%2Dq13).