

presyncope (sensation of feeling faint).light-headedness (sensation of giddiness) 3.Dizziness can be classified into four groups: This sensation can be confused with dizziness, which is a non-specific term, so an adequate history is required to differentiate this symptom. 2 Often patients describe a ‘spinning’ sensation of either their body or their surroundings. 1 Classically, vertigo presents as a sensation of movement of the environment around the patient. An endolymphatic sac procedure is done to help decrease the production of fluid and promote fluid drainage in the inner ear.Vertigo is a common, distressing presentation in general practice and constitutes approximately 54% of cases of dizziness. Most people with Meniere’s disease don’t require surgery, but it’s an option for those who have severe attacks and haven’t had success with other treatments. Hearing aidsĪn audiologist can treat hearing loss, usually by fitting you with a hearing aid. A physical therapist can teach you these exercises. These exercises help to train your brain to account for the difference in balance between your two ears. Vestibular rehabilitation exercises can improve symptoms of vertigo.

Your doctor can also inject medication into your inner ear by way of your middle ear to help reduce vertigo symptoms. If this occurs, your doctor may prescribe a diuretic to help reduce the amount of fluid in your body. If nausea and vomiting becomes an issue, your doctor may prescribe an antiemetic, or anti-nausea medication.Ī problem with fluid in the inner ear is thought to cause Meniere’s disease. Medicines for motion sickness can ease symptoms of vertigo, nausea, and vomiting. Your doctor may prescribe medication to help with the symptoms of Meniere’s disease. However, there are a range of treatments that can help with your symptoms, from medication to surgery for the most severe cases. Meniere’s disease is a chronic condition with no cure. They may also order a head MRI or a cranial CT scan to assess possible problems with your brain. Your doctor may order tests to rule out these, and other, conditions. Issues with the brain, such as multiple sclerosis (MS) or brain tumors, can cause symptoms similar to Meniere’s disease. You’ll react to various balance challenges while wearing a safety harness and standing barefoot. And posturography testing helps determine what part of your balance system isn’t functioning properly. Vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) testing measures the sound sensitivity of the vestibule of the inner ear. In this test, your eye movements are carefully recorded while the chair moves. It’s used in addition to ENG testing because the ENG results can be incorrect if you have ear damage or wax is blocking one of your ear’s canals. It’ll show your doctor whether your problem is caused by an issue in your ear or your brain. Any abnormalities can indicate a problem with the inner ear. Your involuntary eye movements will be tracked. The water causes your balance function to work. This is done because the balance response in the inner ear causes eye movements.ĭuring this test, both hot and cold water will be pushed into your ear. In this test, you’ll have electrodes placed around your eyes to detect eye movement. The balance test most commonly used to test for Meniere’s disease is electronystagmography (ENG).

People who have Meniere’s disease will have a reduced balance response in one of their ears. Balance testsīalance tests are performed to test the function of your inner ear. These tests can tell your doctor if the problem is caused by your inner ear or with your ear nerve. An auditory brainstem response (ABR) test checks the function of the hearing nerves and the hearing center in the brain. An electrocochleography (ECog) test is done to measure the electrical activity in the inner ear. The results of this test will tell your doctor if you have a hearing problem in one or both ears.Ī problem in the inner ear, or with the nerve in the ear, can cause hearing loss. In this portion of the test, you’ll hear words through the headphones and repeat what you hear. Your hearing will also be tested to determine if you can tell the difference between similar sounds. You’ll need to indicate when you can and cannot hear a tone, so the technician can determine if you’re experiencing hearing loss. In this test, you’ll put on headphones and hear noises of a variety of pitches and volumes. Hearing testĪ hearing test, or audiometry, is used to determine if you’re experiencing hearing loss. If you’re experiencing symptoms of Meniere’s disease, your doctor will order tests to examine your balance and hearing, and rule out other causes of your symptoms.
