Category: Meniere’s Disease

Natural Way to Manage Meniere’s Disease

2/3/2019

Meniere's Disease is a disorder of the inner ear that is considered to be related to the buildup of excess fluid in the inner ear. It happens most often in people between 20 and 50 years of age. Symptoms can develop suddenly, and include the following:

Disabling vertigo attacks
Fluctuating hearing loss
Ringing in the affected ear (tinnitus)
The sensation of fullness in the ear

The duration of these symptoms can be between 1 and 6 hours. Meniere’s disease sufferers will often get an attack following a feeling of fullness in the ear. Tinnitus may either begin or worsen prior to a vertigo attack. These vertigo attacks can be disabling, and due to the severity of them, they can also cause nausea, vomiting, and a loss of balance.

What Causes Meniere’s Disease?

The exact cause of Meniere’s disease is still unknown for the most part. Some evidence indicates that an abnormal level of fluid in the inner ear is the culprit. Within the inner ear, fluid is constantly being secreted and reabsorbed to maintain a consistent fluid level. Two ways that fluid can build up in abnormal quantities are from an excess amount of fluid being produced or from a decrease in fluid reabsorption. Other risk factors include a family history of the condition, allergies, recent illness, and certain prescription medications.

Natural Ways to Cope with Meniere's Disease

Thankfully there are a number of drug-free, non-invasive treatment options available for Meniere’s sufferers that could potentially reduce the frequency and/or severity of episodes. Most of these natural ways of handling Meniere's disease focus on maintaining a healthy fluid balance in the body:

Low-sodium diet – because salt increases fluid retention in the body, reducing your dietary sodium intake can help limit the buildup of excess fluid in the inner ear by helping the body maintain a normal fluid balance. Excess salt intake can lead to increased fluid retention and more severe symptoms.
Avoid alcohol – alcohol can affect the quantity and composition of the fluid in the inner ear. Just a single drink can have a negative impact. Therefore, avoiding it completely or limiting intake to infrequent, special occasions can be helpful.
Eliminate caffeine – caffeine consumption can make ringing in the ears, or tinnitus, associated with Meniere's disease far worse. Limiting caffeine intake is a good idea.
Quit smoking – quitting smoking has a number of benefits for the body. Did you know that nicotine constricts the blood vessels in your body, leading to an increase in Meniere's disease symptoms?
Manage stress levels – having chronic, high levels of stress can increase a person’s risk for developing Meniere's disease or make those already affected feel even worse. A few effective stress reduction techniques are meditation, music therapy, going for a walk, individual or group therapy, and yoga.
Drink adequate water – managing your water intake and making sure you're drinking it throughout the day (and not all in one sitting) can help promote more stable inner ear fluid levels.

Vertigo and Meniere's Disease

Most of our Meniere's patients say that vertigo is their most debilitating symptom. The episodes of vertigo that are associated with Meniere's disease can be intense and sudden. The signals from your body's vestibular system help you brain to properly maintain its sense of balance. When there is excess fluid built up in the inner ear, it can disrupt the signals that inform your brain where your body is positioned in space relative to gravity, which can result in a vertigo episode.

Finding Hope and Relief with Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care

There have been big breakthroughs for Meniere's disease sufferers who are looking for lasting relief. Upper cervical chiropractic care specializes in the uppermost vertebrae in the spine because the position of these bones can have major effects on the vestibular system. In a study of 300 Meniere's disease patients who received a course of upper cervical chiropractic care, the following was found:

All 300 patients had experienced some kind of whiplash trauma in their history, caused by incidents such as car accidents, sports injuries, or falls. Some injuries were mild, others severe.
All 300 patients were found to have a misalignment in their upper cervical spine.
97% of the patients stated that they had a significant improvement that made it possible for them to go back to their normal day-to-day activities (driving a car, going to work, having a normal social life, etc.).

One interesting factor to consider is that it took an average of 15 years from the time of the head or neck trauma before the development of Meniere’s disease symptoms occurred.
The vertebrae of the upper cervical spine, the atlas (C1) and axis (C2) are directly below the skull where they have the ability to interrupt normal nerve function, blood flow, and fluid drainage. Adjusting misalignments located here could, as shown in the study above, bring the needed relief for Meniere’s disease symptoms.
Due to the precision of upper cervical chiropractic adjustments, they are surprisingly gentle, not requiring a great deal of force, while also being highly effective. If you have any past head or neck injuries and have also developed any of the symptoms of Meniere’s disease (tinnitus can be an early warning sign of the condition), then getting your neck checked by an upper cervical chiropractor would be an excellent next step.

References:
https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/ear,-nose,-and-throat-disorders/inner-ear-disorders/meniere-disease
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/menieres-disease

7 Ways to Care for Meniere’s Disease and 1 Way to End the Cycle

2/4/2018

Meniere’s disease is a debilitating condition of the inner ear. The inner ear is responsible for helping us maintain our balance, and when it becomes compromised, Meniere’s can be the end result. Meniere’s disease is known for a loss of balance, hearing loss, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Meniere’s affects everyone at different degrees. It is intermittent and can be very unpredictable. Some can cope well with it as it is just a mild aggravation, while others find it to be very disabling and may lead to deafness and permanent imbalance of the inner ear.

Common Symptoms of Meniere’s DiseaseA classic case of Meniere’s disease has four major components:

Hearing loss: This generally begins in one ear and may progress to the other one eventually. It may vary depending on the severity of the attack. No one case is the same as the next.
Rotational vertigo: This is the sensation of spinning. You may feel like you or the things around you are spinning. It can come on mildly or hit suddenly and be very severe. The best thing to do when this occurs is sit down right where you are until the sensation passes because many people acquire injuries if they fall down.
Pressure: The feeling of swelling, congestion, or that the ear is under pressure is common with Meniere’s disease.
Tinnitus: A ringing sensation in the ears ranging from mild to unbearable. This may lead to a related symptom: migraines.

Why Does Meniere’s Disease Happen?The exact cause of Meniere’s disease remains a mystery among the medical community. Some theories suggest that it is due to a build-up of fluid in the inner ear. Some factors that could make this occur are:

Abnormal immune system response
Viral infection
Migraines
Genetic predisposition
Improper fluid drainage
Allergies
Head or neck trauma

Because of the nature of the condition, a combination of factors may be involved. We are going to focus on the last item in the above list later in this article. A definite connection has been discovered between head and neck trauma and Meniere’s disease.

7 Ways to Help Alleviate Symptoms of Meniere’s DiseaseHere are 7 things you can try at home to help alleviate your symptoms of Meniere’s disease:

Drink plenty of water: This may sound counterproductive because Meniere’s may be caused by an excess build-up of fluid, but another reason for Meniere’s can be a virus, pathogen, or bacteria in the body. Drinking water can help to flush this out. By keeping the water in your body balanced, you will be successful in removing excess salts and clearing out toxins.
Follow a low-sodium diet: Doctors will recommend this quite often because the extra salt in the body can cause inflammation and water retention. You can eliminate these problems by lowering your salt intake.
Keep your carbs and proteins balanced: Carbohydrates break down into simple sugars and increase the insulin in your bloodstream because of glucose. When you eat protein, it produces a release of glucagon to regulate the amount of insulin in the body. This can help keep your blood sugar and insulin in control and help reduce the symptoms of Meniere’s.
Stay away from sugar substitutes and MSG: Aspartame and MSG are closely linked to Meniere’s. These unhealthy products are found in a majority of processed foods. However, you can avoid them with a little effort and, hopefully, see an improvement in symptoms.
Manage your stress levels: Anxiety releases the stress hormones and can trigger a bout of Meniere’s disease. Getting professional help to deal with chronic stress may be a good option to consider. You can practice stress relief at home by listening to some calming music, doing some strengthening exercises, such as Pilates, or taking a long walk.
Keep away from caffeine and nicotine: Both of these substances are considered to be stimulating. It has been observed that both caffeine and nicotine extend the duration of hearing loss, make vertigo worse, and make the ringing of tinnitus even louder. Try to avoid both of these substances entirely if possible.
Avoid foods that cause inflammation: These include foods that are hard to digest, as they can cause irritation throughout the body. Mild foods are the best choice with Meniere’s.

Finding Natural Relief for Meniere’s Disease A study involving 139 Meniere’s patients revealed some interesting information that is helpful to anyone suffering from it. Most of the participants could recall having some type of head or neck injury prior to the onset of the symptoms of Meniere’s disease. It was found upon examination that all 139 had a misaligned bone in their upper cervical spine. When given a correction by an upper cervical chiropractor, all reported seeing their symptoms improve. In particular, they noticed an improvement in their vertigo. The majority even saw their Meniere’s go away.
This has to do with the C1 vertebra and how closely it sits in the neck to the brainstem and Eustachian tube. If the C1 moves out of place, the misalignment may cause the brainstem to malfunction and begin sending improper signals to the brain about the body’s location, leading to vertigo. It can also cause issues with the Eustachian tube. The issues may not show up for several years after the trauma.
By visiting us here at Upper Cervical Cedar Falls in Cedar Falls, Iowa, we hope to help you find some sense of relief from your Meniere’s disease. We use a gentle method that helps to realign the bones in the upper neck without the need for popping or cracking them. Once back in place, often in only a few visits, patients see a similar result to those in the above-mentioned study. May this be your outcome as well, finding relief from the disabling symptoms of Meniere’s disease.

Why Vertigo Happens and Where to Find Relief in Cedar Falls, IA

8/6/2017

Vertigo is a spinning sensation. You may feel as if you are spinning or the things around you may appear to be spinning when, in fact, there is no movement at all. You may have experienced this if you have ever stood up too quickly and felt dizzy. However, if it is persistent and accompanied by visual disturbances or sensitivity to light and noise, continue reading to find out more.

Understanding How Balance is Related to Vertigo

Here are some interesting facts about balance:

The vestibular system controls balance.
After the age of 40, 1 out of every 3 people suffer from vestibular issues.
Around 8 million people, 4% of the population, in America have problems with balance.
When seeking care for dizziness, a third will be diagnosed with either vertigo or Meniere’s disease.

The vestibular system has the vital job of keeping the body balanced and upright. It sends signals to the brain about how the body is moving and where it is positioned in its environment. The ears are part of the vestibular system, including the ear canals and fluid contained within. If something causes the vestibular system not to work properly, vertigo can be the end result. This can have a negative impact on one’s life and daily routine.

Help for Victims of Vertigo

A connection has been seen between the onset of vertigo and a misalignment in the bones of the upper neck. If you are experiencing vertigo, it is a good time to seek the care of an upper cervical chiropractor. Here at Upper Cervical Cedar Falls, we offer our patients a safe and gentle method to help realign the bones of the neck. A misalignment in this area can place undue pressure on the brainstem and cause the vestibular system to malfunction. By correcting this problem, many of our own patients and those in case studies have seen their vertigo improve or even go away entirely.

Natural Way to Manage Meniere’s Disease

7 Ways to Care for Meniere’s Disease and 1 Way to End the Cycle

Why Vertigo Happens and Where to Find Relief in Cedar Falls, IA

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