What is Meniere's disease
Is there a cure for Meniere's disease
What are the symptoms of Meniere's
What are the secondary effects of Meniere's
What treatments are available for Meniere's disease
Can I still travel by air with Meniere's
Where can I get more information and help
 What is Meniere's disease?
Meniere's disease involves a build up of excess fluid in the balance and hearing organs of the inner ear. The exact cause is unknown and there is currently no medical cure available.
Key symptoms include vertigo (dizziness), tinnitus (ringing noise inside the ear or head), fluctuating hearing loss and a feeling of pressure or fullness in the ear .... more
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Is there a cure for Meniere's disease?
Unfortunately there is no current medical cure available but there are a number of strategies you can use to manage your condition. See our section on Treatment options.
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What are the symptoms of Meniere's disease?
- Vertigo (dizziness)
- Distorted hearing
- Fluctuating hearing loss
- Permanent hearing loss
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear
- Tinnitus (ringing noise in the ears)
For more detailed information see the Symptoms page.
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What are the secondary effects of Meniere's?
Physical
- blurry vision
- tiredness
- poor coordination
Emotional
- anxiety
- depression
- social isolation
- communication difficulties
You can download an excellent publication on this topic from the UK Meniere's site - see our Links section. See also the Psychological impact page.
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What treatments are available for Meniere's disease?
There is no known medical cure for Meniere's disease but there are several methods you can try for managing the symptoms of Meniere's. These include:
- medication
- minimising stress
- low salt and low caffeine diet
- specialised balance exercises
- natural therapies
- as a last resort option surgery may help
For more information see the Treatment page of our site.
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Can I still travel by air with Meniere's
There is no reason to avoid air travel because you have Meniere's. Meniere's is a problem of the inner ear whereas the pressure changes when taking off and landing affect the middle ear. This can cause earache but not vertigo.
However it is a good idea when travelling long distances to order a low salt meal when you book your ticket.
We have some Information Sheets available on the topic of travel with Meniere's. Also see our links page for more information.
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Where can I get more information and help?
- talk to other people with Meniere's
- medical specialists eg general practitioners; ear, nose and throat specialists; neurologists; audiologists
- support groups eg Meniere's Support Group of Victoria Inc; Better Hearing Australia
- literature and other resources (see our on-line resource catalogue)
- There is a great deal of information available on the Web - visit our links page.
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Last reviewed Dec 2006
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