ENT

Meniere's Disease

Ménière's disease is a disorder of the inner ear causing recurrent spontaneous vertigo attacks lasting minutes to hours, with fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus and aural pressure; diagnosis is specialist and other vestibular, neurological and retrocochlear causes must be considered.

Definition

Ménière's disease is a clinical disorder of the inner ear characterised by recurrent spontaneous vertigo with fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus and aural pressure or fullness. The diagnosis is made by specialist assessment after considering other vestibular, neurological, retrocochlear and middle-ear causes.

First principles

The syndrome links balance and hearing symptoms

The characteristic pattern is recurrent spontaneous vertigo with fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus and pressure or fullness in one or both ears. The symptoms come and go, and hearing may worsen over time; this pattern is suggestive rather than a substitute for specialist diagnosis.

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