Meniere’s disease

Meniere’s disease

Ménière’s disease is a rare inner ear condition that can affect your balance and hearing. It cannot be cured, but treatments can usually help your symptoms.

Ménière’s disease most commonly affects people aged 20 to 60. It’s slightly more common in women than men.

Symptoms of Ménière’s disease

The symptoms and severity of Ménière’s disease vary widely from person to person.

The main symptoms of Ménière’s disease are:

• vertigo – the feeling that you, or the environment around you, is moving or spinning
• tinnitus – hearing sounds from inside your body, rather than from an outside source
• hearing loss, with a particular difficulty hearing deep or low sounds
• a feeling of pressure or fullness deep inside the ear
• feeling or being sick

Symptoms typically last around 2 to 3 hours. But it can take a day or two for the symptoms to disappear completely.

These symptoms usually only affect one ear at first, but both ears may become affected over time.

Other symptoms include:

• sensitivity to sound (hyperacusis)
• distorted sound

When to get medical advice

Speak to your GP practice if:

You or your child:

• have any of the symptoms of Ménière’s disease

Diagnosing Ménière’s disease

There’s no single test for Ménière’s disease. It can be difficult to distinguish from other conditions with similar symptoms.

Your GP will ask you to describe your symptoms to find out if there’s a pattern.

For Ménière’s disease to be diagnosed, you’ll have had:

• at least 2 episodes of vertigo lasting 20 minutes or more within a single Ménière’s disease attack
• tests that confirm that hearing loss is caused by damage to the sensitive hair cells inside the cochlea (the coiled tube in the inner ear)
• tinnitus or a feeling of pressure in your ear

Your GP may also carry out a physical examination to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms.

If needed, your GP can refer you to an ear nose and throat (ENT) specialist for further tests.

Treatment for Ménière’s disease

Ménière’s disease cannot be cured, but treatment can usually help your symptoms.

Possible treatments include:

• medicines to treat the symptoms and prevent attacks
• changes to your eating habits, such as a low-salt diet
• treatment for tinnitus
• treatment for hearing loss
• balance training (vestibular rehabilitation)
• relaxation techniques
• surgery – only rarely, in more severe cases

Your mental health

Some people with Ménière’s disease also find that it affects their mental health.

Speak to your GP practice if you’re finding it difficult to cope with the effect Ménière’s disease is having on your life. There are also support groups that can help you.

Safety

If you have vertigo, there are some safety issues to consider. For example:

• you should tell your employer if your job involves operating machinery or climbing ladders
• you may have a higher chance of falling – read about preventing falls for advice on reducing your risk

Driving and vertigo

If you drive, you must tell the DVLA about your vertigo.

Get more information on driving with vertigo on GOV.UK

What causes Ménière’s disease?

The exact cause of Ménière’s disease is unknown. It’s thought to be caused by a problem with pressure deep inside the ear.

Factors that can increase your risk of developing Ménière’s disease include:

• a family history of the condition
• a chemical imbalance in the fluid in your inner ear