Treatment
Meniere’s disease is treated with lifestyle changes, drugs and rarely surgery.
The physician should spend time counseling the patient and reassure him that he could improve as time progresses. Lifestyle changes may help to control symptoms. The patient is advised to stop smoking, reduce stress and cut down his salt intake.
The reduced salt intake along with medications such as diuretics lowers the fluid pressure in the inner ear.
Sedatives, antihistamines such as meclizine, cinnarizine and diphenhydramine as well as other drugs such as hyosine and betahistine help to reduce vertigo.
Drugs such as prochlorperazine are effective in treating vertigo as well as the accompanying nausea and vomiting. The patient may need intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration. Severe cases may be treated with corticosteroids. Rarely, patients not responding to drugs may require surgery.
Surgery could result in hearing loss, however in some surgeries the hearing is preserved. Gentamicin, a drug that damages the ear or steroids may be injected into the ear to relieve the patient of symptoms.
Meniere’s disease does not result in death. Death could occur in case the patient has an accident due to the falls. Some patients may feel depressed due to continuing symptoms such as ringing or roaring sounds in the ears and severe vertigo, and may need counseling. Hearing aids are used for patients whose hearing is affected.
