What are the symptoms of Ménière's syndrome?

May 16, 2023 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Shuwen
Introduction
Meniere's syndrome is characterized by symptoms such as vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus. It is considered to result from microcirculatory disturbances in the inner ear and endolymphatic sac during an attack, leading to tissue ischemia and hypoxia, which causes endolymphatic hydrops. It may also be caused by ischemia and hypoxia in the inner ear resulting in insufficient local blood supply, or elevated inner ear pressure causing dilation of the cochlea and saccule.

Meniere's syndrome symptoms include vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus. A detailed analysis is as follows:

1. Vertigo

Patients typically experience sudden-onset rotational vertigo, perceiving either themselves or surrounding objects as rotating in a specific direction and plane. This is thought to result from microcirculatory disturbances in the inner ear and endolymphatic sac during an episode, leading to tissue ischemia and hypoxia, which causes endolymphatic hydrops.

2. Hearing Loss

In the early stages of the disease, hearing is usually unaffected. However, with repeated episodes, significant hearing loss develops. It is typically unilateral, worsens during attacks, and improves between episodes, showing a clearly fluctuating pattern. This is believed to be caused by inner ear ischemia and hypoxia resulting in insufficient local blood supply.

3. Tinnitus

Tinnitus commonly occurs before the onset of vertigo. In the initial stage, it presents as a continuous low-pitched sound resembling a fan running or flowing water. Over time, it gradually shifts to a high-pitched ringing or whistling sound. This is thought to result from increased inner ear pressure due to disease progression, causing dilation of the cochlea and saccule.

In addition to these common symptoms, patients may also experience aural fullness, nausea, and other symptoms. It is recommended that patients seek timely medical attention when experiencing discomfort to avoid delays in treatment.


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