Before I had my first attack of Meniere’s disease I had never heard of this condition. As far as vertigo was concerned, I wasn’t exactly sure about that either. Was it a fear of heights, like the Hitchcock movie? After years of attacks and years searching the internet and seeing doctors I know a lot about both. Unfortunately not that many people are aware of this illness or vertigo.
First of all vertigo isn’t about fear of heights, it is a spinning sensation that is created by loose particles in the inner ear. Meniere’s disease isn’t really a disease it is an idiopathic, which means ‘cause unknown’. There isn’t a cure and there is quite a few opinions out there on what helps alleviates the side effects and what doesn’t. Meniere’s can have many forms. You may have the severe form where it is difficult to get up and walk and your hearing is almost gone. Or you may have tinnitus and vertigo with no hearing loss. Some, who have it, keep it in check by reducing their salt intake. Meniere’s can be different from one case to the other.
One of the problems that you might have is that many people haven’t heard about Meniere’s disease and therefore assume it is a minor illness or just an inconvenience. Unless they see you throwing up or see you pale as a ghost and sweating profusely, they just might not think much about it. And the same is true for tinnitus.
There are some people who just don’t get it and probably will never understand Meniere’s disease. Don’t worry about them; just stay focused on getting better.
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Wednesday, July 29, 2009
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5 comments:
I think for most of us, the disease is idiopathic both in the initial cause and the cause of the clusters or individual attacks. Stress and the resultant tension in the upper back/neck area is contributor to symptoms for me, I guess because of a reduction in blood flow to the head, but it's not as simple as just that.
Something interesting has happened to me in the last week or so. Having been in a cluster for almost three months, I've had a nearly complete abatement of symptoms coincidental with the appearance of a sore throat and cough (not swine flu!). No attacks and my hearing is much improved. Looking back, I had something similar happen at Christmas when I was feeling a bit rough until a cold seemed to bring it out. I'm waiting to see what happens when I shake off the cough.
On the one side it could be that the cough/cold causes one's body to divert more blood to the head to fight the infection, with a side benefit to the meniere's. More speculatively, I wonder if the virus has been somehow lodged in my ear for a while, actually causing the cluster. Sceptics I'm sure would have something to say about that, but it feels like the case to me, particularly as I've been unusually tired the last few weeks as you can with viral infections.
Can you or any of your readers connect coughs and colds to changes in symptoms?
Jeff, as the ear, nose and throat are all connected, I think anything happening in there is going to affect Meniere's Disease and our symptoms like the tinnitus, pressure and vertigo etc. I know while having sinus problems or hay fever, my Meniere's symptoms got worse. On the other hand and strangely (like your sore throat) I had an accident playing football, receiving a huge blow to the face and broke my cheek bone. My sinus filled with blood for weeks. You'd think that would make things worse, but my tinnitus disapeared completely for a while.....guess it may have shaken the crystals loose, rather like what happens with the Chiro.
Depending on what happens with me I may start having chiro again; I had it a few years ago before I had any ear problems and it was great it getting by back to relax.
I have had violent Menieres for quite a few years, one thing that helped reduce the number and severity of these attacks was an anti migrane medication Topamax... it reduces the fluids in the ears, nose and throat..sort of dries everything up. I find that Serc and that have kept me free of those big attacks for over 2 years. Before I was getting attacks every week. You eventually get used to the eye dryness... my menieres specialist is quite interested in trying others on this.
Laura
I hadn't heard about Topamax, I will have to do some research. thanks for information and the comment
keep in touch
David
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