Meniere's disease symptoms and management explained by experts

Medical experts are highlighting the symptoms and management of Meniere's disease, a condition characterized by sudden, severe vertigo that can last for 20 minutes or longer. Unlike benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which typically lasts only seconds to a minute and is triggered by specific head movements, Meniere's disease vertigo often occurs regardless of posture.

Key early warning signs include a sensation of fullness or pressure in the ear, low-frequency hearing loss, and low-frequency tinnitus described as a 'whooshing' or 'humming' sound. While the exact cause remains unknown, it is believed to involve an accumulation of fluid within the endolymphatic space of the inner ear.

Diagnosis is typically reached through a process of exclusion, requiring clinicians to rule out other causes of dizziness and confirm patterns of fluctuating hearing loss. Treatment focuses heavily on lifestyle modifications, including low-sodium diets, reducing caffeine and alcohol intake, and maintaining regular sleep patterns. For more severe cases, medical interventions such as steroids, diuretics, gentamicin injections, or endolymphatic sac decompression surgery may be considered.