Recommended links

Recommended by Lynn Polson

Ménière’s Support Group of Victoria (MSGV) secretary Lynn Polson has reviewed many Web sites that deal with Ménière’s disease and related topics. Lynn has Ménière’s disease herself and has extensive experience counselling and advising others with the condition. She recommends the following list of Web sites and pages as potentially useful sources of information. However please note that MSGV has no control over the content of external sites and cannot endorse them for accuracy or currency.

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Australian Sites

www.menieresnsw.org.au
Ménière’s Support Group of New South Wales Inc
Provides information about the Ménière’s Research Fund.

www.tinnitusvic.asn.au
Tinnitus Association of Victoria Inc
Great information on coming to terms with the experience of tinnitus.

www.tinnitus.asn.au
Australian Tinnitus Association (NSW)
Allows you to listen to the sounds of tinnitus and also has a great kids’ section and education kit

www.tinnitussa.org
Tinnitus South Australia
Has a range of resources on tinnitus, hearing loss and vertigo. These are available to borrow. There’s an on line tinnitus survey with results that refer you to relevant information sheets.

http://www.deafnessresources.net.au/
Deafness Resources Australia (DRA) site featuring their full range of deafness-related products (books, videos, DVDs, CD-ROMs, technology and promotional items) with current prices.

www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au
Better Health Channel is a Victorian Government service. It has information on a range of health issues including Ménière’s, plus a Services directory. This directory can put you in touch with local health service providers throughout metropolitan and regional Victoria.

Also features health news and a health events calendar. Includes some information in eight community languages.

www.betterhealthchannel.vic.gov.au
A good starting point if you’re looking for information on ‘alternative’ therapies that could help you manage Ménière’s. Follow the links: Topics > Treatments > Complementary therapies.

http://www.wom.com.au
Word of Mouth Technology is a specialist provider of equipment and services to deaf and hearing impaired people. They serve as consultants and suppliers to industries wanting to provide access for deaf and hearing impaired people. They offer a range of assistive listening devices for all sorts of situations – TV, meetings, alarms, telephone, etc.

http://www.saltmatters.org
Dr Trevor Beard's site promotes the ‘Salt Skip Program’— an effective strategy for improving diet, health and well-being by reducing salt intake. It includes sections on food labelling (Australia, Europe, Canada and US). You can also download and print the current issue of ‘Salt Skip News’, which includes news of the latest low salt products. The Program's book ‘Salt Matters’ is available via our online catalogue.

http://ozdocit.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/saltmatters
Join the ‘Salt Matters’ discussion group for consumers and professionals. Click on the above link to join up and find lots of helpful information regarding a low sodium lifestyle. There are lots of people with all sorts of salt related illnesses or just living the recommended diet for all Australians - a low sodium lifestyle - and they will be more than happy to answer any questions you have.

http://202.7.211.27/nswmsg/SaltSkip.htm
Follow the links to the ‘Salt Skip Program’. This page features a good article that describes what a low salt diet is and how it can benefit people with Ménière’s.

http://www.users.tpg.com.au/pschamb/mls.html
An excellent site for the low salt food shopper with photos of low salt and reduced-salt products available in Australia - a help when searching for them in the supermarket. Includes lots of good tips for keeping dietary salt levels down (an important management tool for Ménière’s).

http://home.exetel.com.au/sharksaus/
This is a companion site to the one above, although they were developed independently. As well as low salt and reduced salt foods, there are also recipes and tips for keeping salt intake low.

http://www.onlyoz.com.au/
This online grocery store offers a range of Australian-made low salt products. It delivers throughout Australia.

http://www.awash.org.au/index.html
The Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health site offers comprehensive information on the issues surrounding over-consumption of salt. AWASH aims to bring about a gradual population-wide reduction in salt consumption that will reduce cardiovascular diseases and other salt-related health problems.

http://www.dizzinessbalancedisorders.com.au/index.php
The Dizziness and Balance Disorders Centre specialises in 'Vestibular Rehabilitation' - that is exercise-based treatment of the vertigo and imbalance associated with various diseases including Ménière’s. Rehabilitation services include management of falls, fear of falling and other exercise based programmes. Currently there are centres in Adelaide and Sydney.

http://www.vestibular.com.au/
Chronic vertigo can diminish a person’s quality of life, independence, self-esteem, self confidence and mobility. The Vestibular Disorders Society of Australia Inc (VEDSA) aims to build a support network of people with vestibular disorders and provide information to members. VEDSA also works to create awareness in the broader community of the effects of vestibular disorders on people.

www.chronicillness.org.au/workwelfarewills
WorkWelfareWills is a quick, easy, plain English legal guide for people who are facing lifestyle changes due to their health. It is particularly valuable for people whose ability to work is or will be affected. It provides information about alternative income streams such as disability benefits, income protection through superannuation and other sickness related benefits. The guide also has information and advice about planning future financial, medical and lifestyle decisions.

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Overseas sites

www.menieresinfo.com
Ménière’s Disease Information Center (US)
In my opinion one of the best sites that I have come across. Information for people with Ménière’s disease, provided by people who have Ménière’s themselves. Features a great number of links within articles on all aspects of Ménière’s disease. They do a worldwide media watch and also have a section that teaches you to search for specific information on 'medline'.

www.menieresinfo.org
The Ménière’s Disease Web site (US)
A site with some interesting information:
"For people who suffer from attacks of dizzy spells, it is often frustrating to find an answer to what is causing these spells, and often even harder to find effective treatment for this problem. In this website, we will discuss one major type of dizziness, vertigo…."

www.vestibular.org
Vestibular Disorders Association (US)
VEDA is a non-profit organisation that provides information to the public and health professionals about inner-ear balance disorders such as Ménière's disease, BPPV, and labyrinthitis.

Symptoms of vestibular impairment may include dizziness, imbalance, vertigo, nausea, and fuzzy vision and may be accompanied by hearing problems, fatigue and changes in cognitive functioning.

VEDA offers education and support through its books, videos, resource lists, short publications and membership services.

www.menieres.org.uk
The Ménière’s Society United Kingdom
The book Vertigo and Dizziness published in 1994, as one of the texts in the Experience of Illness series, is no longer in print. Dr Yardley and her publishers have kindly consented to make the book available on this web site (in the form of a PDF file, which you can download and print).

There are chapters that include detailed discussion of the psychological links between dizziness and anxiety; the nature and causes of vertigo; what kinds of perceptual and physical problems can occur due to brain or inner ear malfunctions; and the ramifications of having a largely 'invisible' and unpredictable illness. The book also explores the social effects of having an illness that is both debilitating and only partly understood.

http://www.medifocushealth.com/TL008/index.php
MedifocusHealth has published an excellent, free resource - a Guidebook on Ménière's disease. The Guidebook contains current, relevant information and research organised into categories for easy reading. It includes:

• basic information on Ménière's disease - causes, diagnosis, treatment options
• a comprehensive list of current journal articles on all aspects of research into Ménière's worldwide
• a 'Centers of Research' directory for locating leading medical authorities and medical centers
• a listing of organizations and support groups for Ménière's disease.

The information, which is updated quarterly, is compiled by a staff of expert researchers and is reviewed by a member of a Medical Advisory Board. A great resource for anyone wanting to learn more about Ménière's disease. There is also a subscription version of this guidebook available (see next link).

http://www.medifocus.com
This site offers a subscription version of the Ménière's Guidebook described in the link above. If you subscribe you receive either a print copy of the book or a downloadable pdf version plus you get free on-line updates for a year. Also if you purchase the Ménière's Guidebook (electronic or print) you get the Vertigo Guidebook free. Medifocus sell a range of guide books on various medical conditions. If you purchase via our site Medifocus donate 30% of the sale to us. There is also a free version available (see previous link).

www.entdr.com/menieres.html
A good summary of Ménière's disease and treatment options can be found on the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery site.

www.meniett.com
This site features information about the Meniett Device - a relatively new treatment method for Ménière’s.

The Meniett Pressure Pulse machine generates a low-pressure pulse (of air) into the ear canal to restore the balance of the inner ear’s hydrodynamic system - much like a milking machine for cows! This treatment requires the insertion of a grommet (ventilation tube) in the ear.

www.med.umn.edu/otol/library/menieres.htm
The University of Minnesota Department of Otolaryngology Health-Related Library is an American site that discusses Ménière’s surgery. Information includes time spent in hospital and success rates. Unfortunately it has been very difficult to find information about Ménière’s surgery on Australian medical and health sites.

www.sinuscarecenter.com/bareraao.html
This site provides useful information if you plan to travel by air.

http://oto.wustl.edu/men/
The Ménière's Page from The Department of Otolaryngology Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

This is another great site maintained by Dr Alec Salt . It has many valuable links to related topics including an overview of the various treatments and therapies available in the management of Ménière’s (includes drug and surgery options). This compilation is based on the published literature.

“There are an extremely large number of treatments presently being used to treat Meniere's disease. This is perhaps a reflection of the fact that no single treatment is effective in all patients.” Dr Alec Salt

http://oto.wustl.edu/men/sodium.htm
This is an excellent site for people trying to maintain a low salt diet although it is American and lists some foods that may not be available in Australia.

The site contains an alphabetical listing of the sodium content of many common foods. You will immediately know which foods you may need to give up, eat less of and which foods are your new best friends!

http://www.hear-it.org/index.dsp
This site has lots of interesting information on hearing loss and hearing aids.

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Last reviewed Dec 2006