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Medical Author:

Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP

Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP

Dr. Balentine received his undergraduate degree from McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. He attended medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine graduating in1983. He completed his internship at St. Joseph's Hospital in Philadelphia and his Emergency Medicine residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx, where he served as chief resident.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• What is Meniere's disease?
• What causes Meniere's disease?
• What are the symptoms of Meniere's disease?
• How is Meniere's disease diagnosed?
• How can Meniere's disease be treated?
• Meniere's Disease At A Glance
• Patient Comments: Meniere&39;s Disease - Symptoms
• Patient Comments: Meniere&39;s Disease - Treatments
• Find a local Ear, Nose, & Throat Doctor in your town
• Meniere Disease Index

The diagnosis of Meniere's disease is primarily made from the history and physical examination. Tinnitus or ear fullness (aural fullness) need to be present to make the diagnosis An audiogram is helpful to show a hearing loss, and to rule-out other abnormalities. It is often helpful, if it can be done safely, to have an audiogram during or immediately following an attack of vertigo. This may show the characteristic low frequency hearing loss. As the disease progresses hearing loss usually worsens.

Other tests such as the auditory brain stem response (ABR), a computerized test of the hearing nerves and brain pathways, computer tomography (CT scan) or, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be needed to rule out a tumor occurring on the hearing or balance nerve. These tumors are rare, but they can cause symptoms similar to Meniere's disease. A full neurological evaluation is performed to exclude other causes of vertigo.

• Medications: A diuretic (water pill) such as triamterene (Dyazide, Maxzide) combined with a low salt diet, is the primary treatment of Meniere's disease. Anti-vertigo medications such as meclizine (Antivert, Bonine, Meni-D, Antrizine) or diazepam (Valium) may provide temporary relief during the attacks of vertigo. Anti-nausea medications [for example, promethazine (Phenergan)]  sometimes also are prescribed. Both anti-vertigo and anti-nausea medications may cause drowsiness.
  
  
• Surgery: If vertigo attacks are not controlled medically and are disabling, one of the following surgical procedures may be recommended depending on the individual patient's situation:
  
  
  • endolymphatic shunt (A surgical procedure in which a shunt (tube) is placed in the endolymphatic sac that drains excess fluid from the ear.)
    
    
  • selective vestibular neurectomy
    
    
  • labyrinthectomy (surgical removal of the  labyrinth of the ear) and eighth nerve section.

Although there is no real cure for Meniere's disease, the attacks of vertigo can be controlled in nearly all cases. If you have vertigo without warning, you should not drive, because failure to control the vehicle may be hazardous to yourself and to others. Safety may require you to forego ladders, scaffolds, and swimming.