Meniere's Disease
Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear causing spontaneous vertigo attacks with fluctuating sensorineural hearing symptoms in the affected ear.
Key takeaways
- Attacks typically last 20 minutes to hours and combine vertigo with hearing change, tinnitus or pressure.
- Migraine, benign positional vertigo, stroke and other inner-ear disease can mimic parts of the syndrome.
- Acute anti-vertigo medicines are used briefly, while prevention and hearing rehabilitation address long-term impact.
The listings below do not confirm Meniere’s disease; ENT assessment and audiometry should guide treatment.
Building the diagnosis
Repeated attack history and hearing tests demonstrate the characteristic fluctuating low-frequency loss. MRI may exclude a nerve tumour or central cause when findings are asymmetric or atypical. A symptom diary can reveal attack frequency and migraine overlap.
Managing attacks and function
Short-term vestibular suppressants or anti-nausea medicine can help a severe episode but delay compensation if used continuously. Salt moderation, betahistine or diuretic strategies are used variably according to guidance and response. Refractory disease may need intratympanic or surgical treatment.
When to seek urgent care
Call emergency services for first severe vertigo with weakness, speech difficulty, double vision, inability to walk, severe headache, chest pain or fainting. Sudden hearing loss needs same-day assessment.