Meniere's disease : Meniere's disease also called endolymphatic hydrops, is a disorder of the inner ear that can affect hearing and balance to a varying degree. It is characterized by episodes of vertigo, low-pitched tinnitus, and hearing loss. The hearing loss is fluctuating rather than permanent, meaning that it comes and goes, alternating between ears for some time, then becomes permanent with no return to normal function. It is named after the French physician Prosper Meniere, who, in an article published in 1861, first reported that vertigo was caused by inner ear disorders Treatment It includes antihistaminecs such as meclozine or dimenhydrinate, trimetho benzamide and other antiemetics, betahistine, diazepam, or ginger root. Betahistine, specifically, is of note because it is the only drug listed that has been proposed to prevent symptoms due to its vasodilation effect on the inner ear. The antiherpes virus drug acyclovir has been used with some success to treat Ménière's disease. The likelihood of the effectiveness of the treatment was found to decrease with increasing duration of the disease, probably because viral suppression does not reverse damage. Morphological changes to the inner ear of Meniere's sufferers have also been found in which it was considered likely to have resulted from attack by a herpes simplex virus. It was considered possible that long term treatment with acyclovir (greater than six months) would be required to produce an appreciable effect on symptoms.


Vertigo : Vertigo is a sensation of spinning. If you have these dizzy spells, you might feel like you are spinning or that the world around you is spinning. Causes of Vertigo Vertigo is often caused by an inner ear problem. Some of the most common causes include: BPPV. These initials stand for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. BPPV occurs when tiny calcium particles (canaliths) clump up in canals of the inner ear. The inner ear sends signals to the brain about head and body movements relative to gravity. It helps you keep your balance. BPPV can occur for no known reason and may be associated with age. Meniere's disease. This is an inner ear disorder thought to be caused by a buildup of fluid and changing pressure in the ear. It causes episodes of vertigo along with ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and hearing loss. Vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis. This is an inner ear problem usually related to infection (usually viral). The infection causes inflammation in the inner ear around nerves that are important for helping the body sense balance Less often vertigo may be associated with: • Head or neck injury • Brain problems such as stroke or tumor • Certain medications that cause ear damage • Migraine headaches Symptoms Vertigo is often triggered by a change in the position of your head. People with vertigo typically describe it as feeling like they are: • Spinning • Tilting • Swaying • Unbalanced • Pulled to one direction Other symptoms that may accompany vertigo include: • Feeling nauseated • Abnormal or jerking eye movements (nystagmus) • Headache • Sweating • Ringing in the ears or hearing loss • • Medicine • In some cases, medication may be given to relieve symptoms such asnausea or motion sickness associated with vertigo. • If vertigo is caused by an infection or inflammation, antibiotics or steroids may reduce swelling and cure infection. • For Meniere's disease, diuretics (water pills) may be prescribed to reduce pressure from fluid buildup. • Surgery. In a few cases, surgery may be needed for vertigo.


Tinnitus : Tinnitus is defined as the perception of sound when there is no external source present. While most people think of tinnitus as ringing in the ears, the noise can also be a hiss, a buzz, a click or any other sound. The noise may be continuous or may occur intermittently. It may be pulsatile (throbbing) or constant and its pitch may be high or low. Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease, and it has a variety of causes that may arise anywhere in the hearing mechanism. It begins in the ear with the tympanic membrane and the cochlea, where sound is transmitted into electrical energy for the brain to perceive. Symptoms of tinnitus include hearing sounds when no external sound is present. The ears may sense ringing, buzzing, roaring, clicking, whistling, hissing, or squealing. Noises may appear low or high in pitch and may interfere with a person's ability to concentrate. Medication Few medications seem to work to resolve tinnitus. Two that have shown some mild benefit include alprazolam (Xanax), a benzodiazepine that may also help with the anxiety and insomnia associated with tinnitus, and dexamethasone (Decadron), a steroid that can be injected into the inner ear to help decrease inflammation. Depression is often associated with tinnitus, and antidepressant medicationshave worked in some instances to decrease the intensity or resolve the noise altogether.