Meniere’s disease

Disease	Injury	Nutrition	Poison

Special Topic	Surgery	Symptoms	Test

Ear anatomy

Meniere’s disease

Alternative Names:

Hydrops; Endolymphatic hydrops

Symptoms:

Abnormal sensation of movement of self or the environment (vertigo)
- May be episodic
- Lasts from minutes to more than 8 hours
- Worse with sudden movement
Dizziness
Hearing loss in one ear
- Low frequency noises lost first
- Extent of hearing loss may change
Noises or ringing in one ear (tinnitus)
Nausea, vomiting
Sweating (may be profuse)
Uncontrollable eye movements

Signs and tests:

A neurologic examination may show an abnormality of cranial nerve VIII that may include abnormalities of hearing, balance, or eye movement.

Tests to distinguish Meniere's disease from other causes of vertigo may include:

Head CT scan or head MRI scan
Caloric stimulation (tests reflexes of the eyes) -- abnormal results indicate Meniere's disease
Evoked potential studies (BAER)
Electronystagmography
Audiology/audiometry

Review Date: 7/31/2002
Reviewed By: Joseph V. Campellone, M.D., Division of Neurology, Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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