MENIERE'S SYNDROME

What is it?

Meniere's syndrome (also called Meniere's disease by doctors) is a mixture of sudden attacks of dizziness, ringing in the ears and slowly increasing deafness.

What causes it?

It is caused by excess fluid causing a swelling deep inside the ear. No one knows why this swelling happens.

Who gets it?

Anyone can get Meniere's syndrome. You are probably more likely to get it as you grow older but no job or particular lifestyle makes you more at risk than anyone else.

What are the symptoms?

The first thing you are likely to notice is that you are getting more and more deaf. You will probably get ringing in the ears which may be very mild at first. You might also suffer from migraine headaches. Sooner or later you will start getting attacks of dizziness where the room starts spinning round. These attacks may come on suddenly and be so bad that you cannot stand or get out of bed for a few hours. They will probably also make you feel very sick or make you vomit, especially if you try to move.

When should I go to my GP?

If you find that you are getting a ringing in your ears that does not go away, you should make a routine appointment with your GP. If you get a very bad attack of dizziness you may need to call your doctor out on a home visit, especially if it has never happened before. If the dizziness does not last long, or is not too bad, you should make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible after it has gone away.

What tests will my Doctor want to do?

Your doctor will want to examine you, looking especially at your eyes and ears. The doctor might want to see you when you have an attack of dizziness. The doctor might also want to do a test where he or she puts a little water in your ears.

What is the short-term treatment?

The best treatment for an attack of dizziness is to lie completely still. If the dizziness is very bad, a tablet or injection may help both the dizziness and the feeling of sickness.

Will I need long-term treatment?

This depends on how bad your symptoms are. If you find you are getting a lot of attacks of dizziness, taking regular tablets may stop them happening or at least stop them happening so often. If even this does not work and you are very badly affected, you may need to have an operation.

How can I stop it getting worse?

When you have an attack of dizziness you should lie completely still, if possible, and should not make any sudden movements. When the attack seems to have settled, start getting up but very gently at first. Do take your tablets regularly when they are prescribed. However, if the tablets do not seem to be making any difference, you should make an appointment to go back and talk to your GP to see if another medicine might work better for you.

Will I have to go to Hospital?

This depends partly on what your doctor finds when you first go to him or her - you may have to have tests at the hospital to check that your symptoms really are caused by Meniere's syndrome. If your symptoms are very bad and medicines do not work for you, you may need to be referred to the hospital for an operation.

A DOCTOR information leaflet for patients