Symptoms of Meniere's disease
Pradeep Chauhan
June 21, 2008
A typical attack of Meniere's disease is preceded by fullness in one ear. Hearing fluctuation or changes in tinnitus may also precede an attack. A Meniere's episode generally involves severe vertigo (spinning), imbalance, nausea and vomiting. The average attack lasts two to four hours. Following a severe attack, most people find that they are exhausted and must sleep for several hours. There is a large amount of variability in the duration of symptoms. Some people experience brief "shocks and others have constant unsteadiness. The majority of people with Meniere's disease are over 40 years of age, with equal distribution between males and females
The symptoms of Ménière's disease occur suddenly and can arise daily or as infrequently as once a year. Vertigo, often the most debilitating symptom of Ménière's disease, typically involves a whirling dizziness that forces the sufferer to lie down. Vertigo attacks can lead to severe nausea, vomiting, and sweating and often come with little or no warning. Other occasional symptoms of Ménière's disease include headaches, abdominal discomfort and diarrhea. A person's hearing tends to recover between attacks but over time becomes worse.
Some individuals with Ménière's disease have attacks that start with tinnitus, a loss of hearing, or a full feeling or pressure in the affected ear. It is important to remember that all of these symptoms are unpredictable. Typically, the attack is characterized by a combination of vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss lasting several hours. But people experience these discomforts at varying frequencies, durations, and intensities. Some may feel slight vertigo a few times a year. Others may be occasionally disturbed by intense, uncontrollable tinnitus while sleeping. And other Ménière's disease sufferers may notice a hearing loss and feel unsteady all day long for prolonged periods.
Many patients, however, do not develop the three typical symptoms of Meniere's Disease at once, but may first suffer from attacks of either hearing loss or vertigo. These patients usually go on to develop the classic combination of symptoms months or years later. There are rarer variations of the disease, including one during which hearing actually improves. Another variation is characterized by drop attacks, during which patients suffer such sudden, intense vertigo that they fall to the ground. The severity, frequency, and length of Meniere's Disease attacks are extremely variable. Some people experience several episodes a day while others have them only once every several years.
The vertigo patient perceives either that the world is spinning around them or that they themselves are spinning. With many other disabilities, some portion of a normal life can be continued. Vertigo disrupts virtually every aspect of life, since the patient loses the ability to do anything normally, especially when movement is involved. In addition to the obvious hazard of falling, moving around is hampered by the fact that even small head movements often make the spinning sensation worse. The resulting nausea, sweating and vomiting combine to make the patient subjectively very "ill". Vertigo can totally incapacitate the individual, so they cannot function. Often the patient will confine themselves to bed until the symptoms subside.
The severity, frequency and duration of each of these sensory perception problems vary. 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.
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The symptoms of Ménière's disease occur suddenly and can arise daily or as infrequently as once a year. Vertigo, often the most debilitating symptom of Ménière's disease, typically involves a whirling dizziness that forces the sufferer to lie down. Vertigo attacks can lead to severe nausea, vomiting, and sweating and often come with little or no warning. Other occasional symptoms of Ménière's disease include headaches, abdominal discomfort and diarrhea. A person's hearing tends to recover between attacks but over time becomes worse.
Some individuals with Ménière's disease have attacks that start with tinnitus, a loss of hearing, or a full feeling or pressure in the affected ear. It is important to remember that all of these symptoms are unpredictable. Typically, the attack is characterized by a combination of vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss lasting several hours. But people experience these discomforts at varying frequencies, durations, and intensities. Some may feel slight vertigo a few times a year. Others may be occasionally disturbed by intense, uncontrollable tinnitus while sleeping. And other Ménière's disease sufferers may notice a hearing loss and feel unsteady all day long for prolonged periods.
Many patients, however, do not develop the three typical symptoms of Meniere's Disease at once, but may first suffer from attacks of either hearing loss or vertigo. These patients usually go on to develop the classic combination of symptoms months or years later. There are rarer variations of the disease, including one during which hearing actually improves. Another variation is characterized by drop attacks, during which patients suffer such sudden, intense vertigo that they fall to the ground. The severity, frequency, and length of Meniere's Disease attacks are extremely variable. Some people experience several episodes a day while others have them only once every several years.
The vertigo patient perceives either that the world is spinning around them or that they themselves are spinning. With many other disabilities, some portion of a normal life can be continued. Vertigo disrupts virtually every aspect of life, since the patient loses the ability to do anything normally, especially when movement is involved. In addition to the obvious hazard of falling, moving around is hampered by the fact that even small head movements often make the spinning sensation worse. The resulting nausea, sweating and vomiting combine to make the patient subjectively very "ill". Vertigo can totally incapacitate the individual, so they cannot function. Often the patient will confine themselves to bed until the symptoms subside.
The severity, frequency and duration of each of these sensory perception problems vary. 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.
Visit Herbal Treatment for more Information. Read about Natural Treatments and Acne Cure
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