Symptoms

The symptoms of Ménière's Disease are dizziness or a "spinning" sensation (rotational vertigo) associated with hearing loss, fullness or pressure in the ear, and roaring or ringing in the ear (tinnitus). Nausea and vomiting often accompany severe attacks of vertigo. Some sufferers also experience headaches as part of their symptoms.

Vertigo attacks often occur with little or no warning, and can vary in intensity, frequency and duration. An attack can last from 20 minutes to a day or more, and it often takes one to three days to recover from the attack. 
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Causes

The cause of Ménière's Disease is nearly always idiopathic, meaning it is unknown. Ménière's Disease most often begins between the ages of 30 and 50, but it can occur at any age and affects both genders and all ethnicities.

Research suggests that the primary problem is in the endolymphatic sac, an organ in the inner ear, which maintains the level of fluid (endolymph) in the hearing and balance canals of the inner ear. It is possible, but unproven, that a viral infection of the sac may trigger the onset of Ménière's Disease.
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• To view a non-invasive medical treatment option for Ménière's Disease, click here.


• See pictures of a normal inner ear and an inner ear with Ménière's Disease.
• To read stories from patients who have benefited from a non-invasive treatment option for Ménière's Disease, click here.