Ménière's Disease
Complete guide to understanding and treating Ménière's disease — why attacks happen, what actually helps, and how to take back control of your life.
Free • 1 minute • Works for 85% of people
Quick Facts
- Chronic inner ear disorder
- 40% become bilateral after 20 years
- 45% have migraine association
You've got this.
In 2 minutes, you'll know if these exercises can help. No experience needed.
Try a 2-min exerciseFeeling awful right now?
Ménière's attacks are terrifying but not dangerous. The spinning will stop. And with the right management, most people significantly reduce how often attacks happen.
What to do right now:
- 1Lie down somewhere safe — attacks usually last 20 minutes to a few hours
- 2Keep your eyes open and focus on something still
- 3Have a bowl nearby — nausea is common during attacks
- 4Don't try to walk around until the spinning stops
- 5Stay hydrated with small sips of water
- 6The attack WILL end — it always does
This usually peaks within 20 minutes to 4 hours typically, rarely up to 24 hours, then steadily improves.
Quick Summary
- Your inner ear has too much fluid — it's called endolymphatic hydrops
- That fluid pressure causes vertigo attacks, hearing changes, and ringing
- Attacks are unpredictable BUT many triggers are avoidable
- Low-salt diet works for 70-80% of people — it's boring but effective
Most people get significant control over their symptoms. You won't feel like this forever.
Common Questions
Questions we hear from people just like you
Hearing loss in Ménière's is usually gradual and fluctuates — it's often worse during attacks and partially recovers after. Over years, some permanent hearing loss is common in the affected ear, but complete deafness is rare. And it typically stays in one ear. About 40% of people develop it in the second ear over 20 years, but often milder.
Ready when you are
When you're feeling a bit steadier, specific exercises can help your brain adapt and reduce your symptoms. We'll guide you through them step by step — no experience needed.
Start exercisesMénière’s disease is a chronic inner ear disorder characterized by episodes of vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness. It affects approximately 190 per 100,000 people in the USA. The condition is associated with endolymphatic hydrops (fluid buildup in the inner ear) and presents significant heterogeneity in symptoms, progression, and treatment response.
Key Symptoms & Signs
Primary Symptoms
- •Recurring episodes of vertigo lasting 20 minutes to 12 hours
- •Fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss
- •Tinnitus (ringing in the ear)
- •Aural fullness (feeling of pressure in the ear)
- •Potential drop attacks (Tumarkin's otolithic crisis)
Associated Features
- •May develop bilaterally over time
- •Symptoms can occur together or separately
- •Variable frequency of attacks
- •Often triggered by dietary or lifestyle factors
- •Can be associated with migraine or autoimmune conditions
Clinical Subtypes
Type 1 (Classic)
Most common form (53%), sporadic without migraine or autoimmune disease.
- •No specific clinical markers
- •Classic symptom presentation
- •No family history
- •No associated conditions
- •Variable progression
Type 2 (Delayed)
Hearing loss precedes vertigo by months/years.
- •More severe hearing loss
- •Shorter disease course
- •Significant cochlear impairment
- •Often synchronous in bilateral cases
- •May have vascular risk factors
Type 3 (Familial)
Genetic component with family history.
- •Earlier age of onset
- •May include migraine (Type 3b)
- •Autosomal dominant inheritance common
- •Higher prevalence of bilateral involvement
- •Often worse initial hearing thresholds
Type 4 (Migraine-Associated)
Associated with migraine in all cases.
- •Younger age of onset
- •May overlap with vestibular migraine
- •More frequent vertigo attacks
- •Longer lasting episodes
- •May have autoimmune features
Treatment Phases
Conservative Management
- •Low-salt diet (1,500-2,000 mg/day)
- •Lifestyle modifications
- •Vestibular training
- •Diuretics
- •Betahistine
Medical Interventions
- •Intratympanic steroid injections
- •Oral steroids in selected cases
- •Management of associated conditions
- •Regular monitoring of symptoms
- •Adjustment of medications as needed
Surgical Options
- •Endolymphatic sac decompression
- •Intratympanic gentamicin
- •Labyrinthectomy for severe cases
- •Vestibular nerve section
- •Consideration of cochlear implants
Recovery Timeline
Initial Diagnosis
Establishing diagnosis and starting conservative treatment
- •Symptom documentation
- •Dietary modifications
- •Lifestyle changes
- •Medical management initiation
Early Management (0-6 months)
Optimizing first-line treatments
- •Response assessment
- •Treatment adjustments
- •Trigger identification
- •Lifestyle adaptation
Maintenance Phase (6-24 months)
Long-term management strategies
- •Regular monitoring
- •Treatment optimization
- •Management of associated conditions
- •Quality of life improvements
Long-term Follow-up
Ongoing care and monitoring
- •Disease progression tracking
- •Hearing preservation
- •Management of bilateral progression
- •Adaptation strategies
Important Statistics
Prevention and Management
Dietary Control
Strict sodium restriction and fluid balance
Trigger Management
Identification and avoidance of personal triggers
Stress Reduction
Implementation of stress management techniques
Regular Monitoring
Ongoing symptom and progression tracking
Care Team
Otolaryngologist
Areas of Expertise:
- •Diagnosis
- •Medical management
- •Surgical interventions
Audiologist
Areas of Expertise:
- •Hearing assessment
- •Balance testing
- •Hearing aids
Vestibular Therapist
Areas of Expertise:
- •Balance training
- •Gait training
- •Exercise programs
Primary Care Physician
Areas of Expertise:
- •Overall health management
- •Coordination of care
- •Management of associated conditions
Struggling to stay consistent?
We'll send you a gentle reminder each week with exercises for ménière's disease — just enough to keep you on track.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ménière’s disease is a chronic inner ear disorder characterized by episodes of vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness. It affects approximately 190 per 100,000 people in the USA. The condition is associated with endolymphatic hydrops (fluid buildup in the inner ear) and presents significant heterogeneity in symptoms, progression, and treatment response.
Key Symptoms & Signs
Primary Symptoms
- •Recurring episodes of vertigo lasting 20 minutes to 12 hours
- •Fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss
- •Tinnitus (ringing in the ear)
- •Aural fullness (feeling of pressure in the ear)
- •Potential drop attacks (Tumarkin's otolithic crisis)
Associated Features
- •May develop bilaterally over time
- •Symptoms can occur together or separately
- •Variable frequency of attacks
- •Often triggered by dietary or lifestyle factors
- •Can be associated with migraine or autoimmune conditions
Clinical Subtypes
Type 1 (Classic)
Most common form (53%), sporadic without migraine or autoimmune disease.
- •No specific clinical markers
- •Classic symptom presentation
- •No family history
- •No associated conditions
- •Variable progression
Type 2 (Delayed)
Hearing loss precedes vertigo by months/years.
- •More severe hearing loss
- •Shorter disease course
- •Significant cochlear impairment
- •Often synchronous in bilateral cases
- •May have vascular risk factors
Type 3 (Familial)
Genetic component with family history.
- •Earlier age of onset
- •May include migraine (Type 3b)
- •Autosomal dominant inheritance common
- •Higher prevalence of bilateral involvement
- •Often worse initial hearing thresholds
Type 4 (Migraine-Associated)
Associated with migraine in all cases.
- •Younger age of onset
- •May overlap with vestibular migraine
- •More frequent vertigo attacks
- •Longer lasting episodes
- •May have autoimmune features
Treatment Phases
Conservative Management
- •Low-salt diet (1,500-2,000 mg/day)
- •Lifestyle modifications
- •Vestibular training
- •Diuretics
- •Betahistine
Medical Interventions
- •Intratympanic steroid injections
- •Oral steroids in selected cases
- •Management of associated conditions
- •Regular monitoring of symptoms
- •Adjustment of medications as needed
Surgical Options
- •Endolymphatic sac decompression
- •Intratympanic gentamicin
- •Labyrinthectomy for severe cases
- •Vestibular nerve section
- •Consideration of cochlear implants
Recovery Timeline
Initial Diagnosis
Establishing diagnosis and starting conservative treatment
- •Symptom documentation
- •Dietary modifications
- •Lifestyle changes
- •Medical management initiation
Early Management (0-6 months)
Optimizing first-line treatments
- •Response assessment
- •Treatment adjustments
- •Trigger identification
- •Lifestyle adaptation
Maintenance Phase (6-24 months)
Long-term management strategies
- •Regular monitoring
- •Treatment optimization
- •Management of associated conditions
- •Quality of life improvements
Long-term Follow-up
Ongoing care and monitoring
- •Disease progression tracking
- •Hearing preservation
- •Management of bilateral progression
- •Adaptation strategies
Important Statistics
Prevention and Management
Dietary Control
Strict sodium restriction and fluid balance
Trigger Management
Identification and avoidance of personal triggers
Stress Reduction
Implementation of stress management techniques
Regular Monitoring
Ongoing symptom and progression tracking
Care Team
Otolaryngologist
Areas of Expertise:
- •Diagnosis
- •Medical management
- •Surgical interventions
Audiologist
Areas of Expertise:
- •Hearing assessment
- •Balance testing
- •Hearing aids
Vestibular Therapist
Areas of Expertise:
- •Balance training
- •Gait training
- •Exercise programs
Primary Care Physician
Areas of Expertise:
- •Overall health management
- •Coordination of care
- •Management of associated conditions
Struggling to stay consistent?
We'll send you a gentle reminder each week with exercises for ménière's disease — just enough to keep you on track.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.