Do you suffer from intense vertigo? If so, you might have Meniere’s Disease. What most people don’t know about Meniere’s Disease is that the condition goes through three stages.

Knowing the difference between the stages can help you understand what symptoms are to come and when the attack will come to an end. 

What is Meniere’s Disease?

Meniere’s Disease is a disorder that takes place in the inner ear and affects hearing and balance. It’s estimated that 615,000 people in the United States suffer from Meniere’s Disease and experience remission within a few years with treatment.

Stages of Meniere’s Disease

Meniere’s Disease can affect people in three different stages, with different types of symptoms in each stage.

1. Early Stage Meniere’s Disease

During the earliest stage of Meniere’s Disease, you will experience sporadic vertigo attacks. You might randomly feel unbalanced or like everything is spinning uncontrollably around you. During this stage, you will begin to experience hearing loss and increased tinnitus in the affected ear. In some cases, tinnitus will be the first symptom that can give you a warning that you’re about to experience a Meniere’s Disease attack.

During the early stage, people may experience some of the following symptoms.

  • Blurry vision
  • Diarrhea
  • Jerking eye movements
  • Nausea
  • Cold sweat
  • Vomiting
  • Palpitations or rapid pulse
  • Trembling

2. Middle Stage Meniere’s Disease

Once you reach the second stage, the vertigo attacks will come and go and start to become less severe. However, you will still experience imbalance and movement issues in addition to hearing loss and increased tinnitus.

3. Late Stage Meniere’s Disease

The last stage of Meniere’s Disease comes with significant hearing loss as vertigo begins to subside. It’s common to experience discomfort with specific sounds or general loudness. Some sounds may also sound distorted. As hearing becomes more difficult, your balance will continue to grow worse. You may feel unsteady, especially when walking in the dark or while dancing. Hearing difficulties may persist after the attack subsides.

woman sitting with sweater with head pain

Meniere’s Disease Treatment in Detroit

If you have Meniere’s Disease and haven’t found a treatment that works for you yet, don’t worry. There are lots of different treatment options available. One is bound to help you find relief.

Lifestyle Changes

One of the easiest ways you might find relief from Meniere’s Disease is by simply making lifestyle changes. There is a common correlation between stress and anxiety and the onset of Meniere’s Disease, although experts aren’t sure exactly what just yet. Regardless, finding relief from stress and anxiety might also bring you relief from Meniere’s disease symptoms.

You can start relieving stress in your life by practicing meditation, yoga, tai chi, mindfulness, or simply taking a walk.

Another lifestyle change you can make that may lessen your symptom of tinnitus is to quit smoking. There is a link between smoking and tinnitus, so quitting might offer some relief. Not to mention, it will improve your overall health.

Vertigo Medications

You can also manage your Meniere’s Disease by taking certain vertigo medications. There are three common types of medications you can take.

  • Motion Sickness Medication – Medications including meclizine and diazepam can help stop the spinning sensation that accompanies vertigo. They may also help reduce nausea and vomiting.
  • Nausea Medications – Prochlorperazine is a prescription medication effective for treating nausea associated with vertigo.
  • Diuretics – Diuretics reduce fluid retention in the body. By reducing fluid, it can reduce pressure in the inner ear which can decrease all other symptoms of Meniere’s Disease.

Middle Ear Injections

Another option for Meniere’s Disease treatment is middle ear injections. Injecting antibiotic gentamicin and steroids can improve the symptoms of vertigo.

Surgery

As a last resort, surgery can help treat Meniere’s Disease. There are a few different surgeries you may benefit from including:

  • Endolymphatic sac decompression
  • Vestibular nerve section
  • Vestibular rehabilitation therapy
  • Labyrinthectomy

Each of these surgeries takes place in the ear and serves different purposes to bring relief to vertigo.

Holistic Treatments

You can also take a holistic approach to your Meniere’s Disease treatment. One option is to consume herbs such as ginkgo biloba and ginger root to find relief from vertigo. In addition, acupuncture or acupressure may also bring relief. No medical evidence supports these as effective treatment options, but that doesn’t mean they won’t help you.

Positive Pressure Treatment

This small device was recently FDA approved and works by releasing pulses of pressure into the middle ear which may also help reduce your symptoms. The air pressure helps prevent fluid buildup and reduces dizziness.

TMJ Treatment

The last treatment option for Meniere’s Disease is one you can get right here at our Detroit dental office—TMJ treatment. There is a strong link between Meniere’s Disease and TMD. They both share many symptoms and studies support that TMJ treatment can help treat Meniere’s Disease. Dr. Haddad has also treated several patients with Meniere’s Disease with TMJ treatment who have experienced significant improvement in their symptoms.

If you’re interested in learning more about TMJ Treatment in Detroit and whether or not it will benefit your Meniere’s Disease, please schedule an appointment at (248) 480-0085 today.