Boca Raton Center for Dizziness, Balance&Hearing Loss

Many articles are placed on the internet that contain inaccurate or incomplete information. Caution should be used when self-diagnosing any medical condition. Meniere’s disease is no exception. Often, it is over-diagnosed or misunderstood.
Meniere’s syndrome or endolymphatic hydrops (more commonly Meniere’s disease) affects 2.4-7 million Americans; 80% of which can be treated/managed successfully.

Meniere’s disease can be debilitating and should be investigated and treated. If the following information sounds characteristic of your current problem/symptoms, it is important to make an appointment with Dr. Katz today.

Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear. Specifically, it is a fluid imbalance in the semicircular canals of the inner ear.
Meniere’s disease reveals itself in the following progressive symptoms:

bouts of dizziness/spinning sensations that arise for no apparent reason and last a couple of minutes feeling of fatigue after the episode
experience a full feeling in the ear(s) and/or a ringing noise in the ear(s) while the episode occurs
experiencing fluctuating hearing loss in one or both ears
experiencing more and more bouts of dizziness, each lasting longer an occurring more often
needing to sleep for an hour or more, with up to days of fatigue after the episodes
hearing loss becomes permanent, though still fluctuating
ringing in ear(s) and fullness in ear(s) is more noticeable and consistent
during an episode, laying flat and waiting is the only thing you can do
depression often follows, as this feeling of helplessness ensues

These are examples of progressive symptoms that have not been treated. However, treatment does exist.

Before treatment can begin, a series of diagnostic tests must be performed to determine whether Meniere’s disease exists or if symptoms are due to or exacerbated by another problem.
Dr. Katz first takes a thorough history of your individual symptoms and evaluates the patient in his office. A detailed questionnaire, filled out by the patient, assists greatly in this process.
Next, a thorough diagnostic testing battery (taking 1.502 hrs.) is performed by our licensed Audiologist.
The test battery includes: a test of middle ear function (Tympanometry), outer hair cell function (OAE), hearing (Audiometry), tone or acoustic reflex decay, specific vestibular testing (ENG), & neural studies of the auditory pathway (ABR and ECOG).

Next, Dr. Katz explains the test results with the patient. He then discusses treatment options to correspond with the findings, and makes specific recommendations to reduce or eliminate the symptoms. The treatment varies with the diagnosis.

Treatment is then performed in our office is Boca Raton, or in our satellite office in Pompano Beach, depending again on the accurate diagnosis.
When other forms of inner ear problems are eliminated as variables, and true Meniere’s disease is evident, treatment takes on the form of management.
Because Meniere’s is actually a fluid-overloaded inner ear, a sodium-restricted diet, maybe accompanied by a diuretic, is the first course of management. In addition, other diet changes may be needed, such as caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine restrictions, as these often exacerbate the symptoms.
The second course, if needed, would be a medication to minimize dizzy symptoms during an episode.
The third course, if severe problems still are occurring and other methods of management have failed, is a surgical procedure, followed by a course of vestibular rehabilitation therapy.
The hearing loss/tinnitus, once it is no longer fluctuating, would be treated with a hearing aid(s) in the effected ear(s), to approximate a normal hearing system.