Meniere's disease Flashcards
What is it?
a disorder of the inner ear of unknown cause.
cause
excessive pressure and progressive dilation of the endolymphatic system
age
middle-aged adults but may be seen at any age
men or women
similar prevalence
features
recurrent episodes of vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss (sensorineural).
Vertigo is usually the prominent symptom
a sensation of aural fullness or pressure is now recognised as being common
other features
other features include nystagmus and a positive Romberg test
what does rhomberg’s test show
positive
duration
last minutes to hours
unilateral or bilateral
unilateral
bilateral may develop after several years
prognosis
symptoms resolve in the majority of patients after 5-10 years
the majority of patients will be left with a degree of hearing loss
psychological distress is common
Mx
ENT
inform DVLA
acute attacks - buccal or intramuscular prochlorperazine. Admission is sometimes required
prevention
:betahistine and vestibular rehabilitation exercises may be of benefit
