Ménière's disease: symptoms, diagnosis, treatment methods

Ménière's disease refers to diseases of the inner ear, in which, in the absence of inflammation, accumulation of the endolymphatic fluid occurs with imbalance and development of deafness.

In children, this pathological condition is almost not found. Most of all, it affects people from 30 to 50 years. Most often, only one side is affected, the probability of developing a two-way process is about 10%.

Etiology of the disease

Despite the fact that the disease was discovered long ago - back in 1961, and named after the French doctor who first described it, the true reasons for its occurrence have not yet been clarified.

There are several theories according to which the pathological process is based on:

1. Viral infections. There are cases of detection of a cytomegalovirus infection that can trigger autoimmune processes.
2. Hereditary predisposition. There are data that confirm the development of the disease in close relatives of patients who are addicted to it in an autosomal dominant type.
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3. Allergic reactions.
4. Disorders of metabolism( water-salt) and hormonal shifts( estrogen deficiency).
5. Vascular diseases.
6. Vegetative problems.
7. Traumatic injury associated with the ear.

Signs of Meniere's disease

The main signs of Ménière's illness are a sharp onset of dizziness combined with nausea and frequent vomiting. This patient has a feeling of failure of his body, so that even a person can fall flat.

Vertigo is sometimes so pronounced that the patient at this time can not only move around, stand, but even sit. For some relief, he needs to take a horizontal position and close his eyes. Any attempt at movement only strengthens all symptoms, causes repeated vomiting.

In addition, often during an exacerbation noted:

• noise, raspiranie in the ear;
• congestion and hearing impairment;
• feeling of lack of air and increased heart rate;
• marked sweating;
• rotatory nystagmus.

On average, such an attack can last 2-8 hours. The minimum duration is three minutes, and the maximum - up to several days. Provoke it can be severe fatigue, colds, tobacco smoke, alcohol intake, medical examination of the ear. Many patients in advance feel the onset of an attack on certain grounds. They have a slight noise in the ears, a slight disturbance of the sense of balance, some note the aggravation of hearing.

At the initial stages of the disease and for some time after the acute condition, the patient still has a decrease in hearing, noise and congestion in the ear, a slight decrease in coordination.

Gradually, with each subsequent attack, this phenomenon continues all the longer, and then, as progression, complete recovery in the interictal period is no longer observed.

Very similar symptom of dizziness is noted and with VSD, cerebrovascular disorders, CCT, and others. In this case, we are talking about the fact that the patient has Meniere's syndrome.

Diagnosis

The otolaryngologist is well aware of how to diagnose this disease. For this, there are many auxiliary techniques:

1. Audiometry. The patient has a violation of perception of low frequency of sound. As the pathological state progresses, deterioration occurs already on all types of frequencies.
2. Samples with a tuning fork help to distinguish the changes in the sound-conducting organs from the damage to the sound-sensing organs( with Meniere's disease).
3. Vestibulometry and stabilography allow to determine the degree of changes in the vestibular apparatus.
4. In this disease, an important role is played by such studies as electrochlear and dehydration test. They allow to determine the increase in the amount of endolymphatic fluid and increase its pressure.
5. For differential diagnosis it is necessary to do CT and MRI.This will eliminate diseases whose symptoms are similar to Meniere's disease - multiple sclerosis, neuromuscular nerve injury, and some others.

Methods of assisting

Treatment for this pathology consists in arresting an acute attack and prolonged basic therapy. There are many groups of drugs that show good results when providing care. In addition, the patient needs the support of close people, a balanced diet and compliance with the regime of the day.

Medications

Neuroleptics( aminazine), agents with atropine and scopolamine, drugs for the removal of spasm from blood vessels( no-shpa, papaverine) are used to eliminate symptoms during the seizure. Widely used blockers of histamine receptors( suprastin, dimedrol), as well as diuretics.

In the interval between attacks the doctor recommends taking funds aimed at strengthening the wall of small vessels, substances for normalizing microcirculation, venotonicks, diuretics, atropine derivatives. Often used betahistine, effectively eliminating the symptoms of dizziness.

Treatment with medication helps to reduce the frequency of exacerbations and reduce the severity of their manifestations. But it is not possible to restore hearing loss in such ways.

Surgical intervention

Sometimes doctors resort to surgical methods. There are several options:

1. Compression elimination. The purpose of these techniques is to reduce the pressure of the endolymphatic fluid and accelerate its outflow.
2. Destructive intervention. It consists in the removal of the labyrinth by means of a laser or ultrasound.

Treatment of folk remedies for Meniere's disease can only be used to relieve the condition, and as an addition to the basic techniques. For this, herbal preparations with a diuretic and soothing effect are used.

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