Menieres Disease

Meniere's disease  is a condition with vertigo,tinnitus (ringing, buzzing, noises in the ears) and progressive deafness.Meniere's disease is caused by a dysfunction of the endolymphatic sac (semi-circular canals) in the inner ear - also known as the labyrinth.The labyrinth is a system of small fluid-filled channels that send signals of sound and balance to the brain.

Disease pathophysiology:

 It is an unpredictable disease that requires various types of treatment. This variant is characterized by abrupt falling attacks of brief durationwithout loss of consciousness. This is  due to an enlarging utricledue to excess endolymphatic volume. In the later disease stages the valve of Bast remaining patent may causesudden drainage of endolymph from the utricle due to longitudinal flowresulting in these drop attacks.

Disease statistics:

Roughly 1 in 1000 individuals are affected? Constitutes 10% of all patients attending vertigo clinic? Female preponderance? Rare in children under the age of 10? Commonly begins between 4th and 5th decades of life? Bilateral Meniere’s syndrome is seen in 5% of these patients.

Disease treatment:

Due to the possible autoimmune pathogenesis of the disease, pharmacotherapy for Meniere's disease may include corticosteroids, etanercept and warfarin.  Gene therapy could be used in the future to transfer genetic material into inner ear cells using viral vectors and to protect, rescue, and even regenerate hair cells of the inner ear" .

Major research on disease:

Insights into the biological mechanisms in the inner ear that cause Ménière’s disease will guide scientists as they develop preventive strategies and more effective treatment.The use of antiviral agents corresponds to the viral hypothesis and has eliminated the various surgical methods of the past.