Meniere's disease is an abnormality of the inner ear causing a variety of symptoms, including vertigo or severe dizziness, tinnitus or a roaring sound in the ears, fluctuating hearing loss, and the sensation of pressure or pain in the affected ear. The disorder usually affects only one ear and is a common cause of hearing loss.
The symptoms of Meniere's disease may be associated with a change in fluid volume within a portion of the inner ear.
This area of the inner ear is necessary for hearing and balance and is filled with a fluid. When your head moves, this fluid moves, causing nerve receptors to send signals to the brain about the body's motion.
Many experts on Meniere's disease think that a rupture of the membranous labyrinth allows the fluid to mix with another inner ear fluid that occupies the space in the inner ear. This mixing, may cause the symptoms of Meniere's disease.
Researchers are investigating several other possible causes of the disease, including environmental factors, such as noise pollution and viral infections, as well as biological factors.
- To learn more, take a look at what is being written in the news about about meniere's disease on my Hearing Loss News Page.
- To see if there is any ongoing government funded research projects focusing on meniere's disease, check out my Hearing Research Page.
