First and foremost, let's talk about my "scary" appointment with the ENT doctor, Dr Thomas Logan, the older one that I saw probably 20 years ago or so.
Before we get into the actual appointment, let's talk about Dr Logan, first, shall we? He came in wearing that light on his head with a strap that Dr's probably wore in the 50's. The waiting room was enormous, so big and well, yea, scary. We sat in the waiting room for what seemed like forever, and the funny thing is, no one was leaving or being called back to the examining room. Weird.
First I saw the Audiologist. She led me back to a booth, like the one from Family Feud, when your other family member was out giving answers for the bonus round and you had to put some headphones on in a booth, this is what I felt like. Only I wasn't about to win lots of money, instead I had to push a button when I could hear strange noises in my ear. And repeat words like I was 5. That test was about 15 minutes.
I then saw the Dr. He immediately came in and started poking on my fingers! I found this odd for him to be an ENT and he was touching my hands, but he told me he was checking for swollenness because of too much salt in my diet. Yes, I agree to that, I am a saltaholic. Told me I needed to cut down on that, take a water pill, and wear a hearing aid in my right ear, as I have 40% loss in it.
Then took me to another room, across the "scary" waiting room into another part of the office, where you can tell wasn't used much, then I had to lie in a recliner hold very still in the dark with my eyes closed while yet another test was being conducted. Me, being the inquistive soul that I am, asked a million questions to the audiologist once the test was over and I didn't have to hold still like a little kid. She smiled at me and told me she couldn;t tell me the results, those would have to come from the good Dr himself. Guess that is why he makes the big bucks :)
He confirmed I have Meniere's disease. No one knows what causes it and there is no cure. Great another medical mystery to add to my list.
Meniere's disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes spontaneous episodes of vertigo — a sensation of a spinning motion — along with fluctuating hearing loss, ringing in the ear (tinnitus), and sometimes a feeling of fullness or pressure in your ear. In many cases, Meniere's disease affects only one ear.
People in their 40s and 50s are more likely than people in other age groups to develop Meniere's disease, but it can occur in anyone, even children.
Although Meniere's disease is considered a chronic condition, various treatment strategies can help relieve symptoms and minimize the disease's long-term impact on your life.
He told me I have Meniere's disease, which has something to do with hearing loss.
The primary signs and symptoms of Meniere's disease are:
- Recurring episodes of vertigo. Vertigo is similar to the sensation you experience if you spin around quickly several times and suddenly stop. You feel as if the room is still spinning, and you lose your balance. Episodes of vertigo occur without warning and usually last 20 minutes to two hours or more, up to 24 hours. Severe vertigo can cause nausea and vomiting.
- Hearing loss. Hearing loss in Meniere's disease may fluctuate, particularly early in the course of the disease. Eventually, most people experience some degree of permanent hearing loss.
- Ringing in the ear (tinnitus). Tinnitus is the perception of a ringing, buzzing, roaring, whistling or hissing sound in your ear.
- Feeling of fullness in the ear. People with Meniere's disease often feel aural fullness or increased pressure in the ear.
Still, the severity, frequency and duration of each of these sensory perception problems vary, especially early in the disease. For example, you could have frequent episodes with severe vertigo and only mild disturbances in other sensations. Or you may experience mild vertigo and hearing loss infrequently but have frequent tinnitus that disturbs your sleep.
When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you experience any signs or symptoms of Meniere's disease. Because any one of these problems may be the result of other illnesses, it's important to get an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible.
Vertigo is an uncommon but possible sign of other disorders, such as stroke, brain tumor, multiple sclerosis, or diseases of your heart or blood vessels (cardiovascular disease). See your primary care doctor immediately if vertigo is accompanied by any of the following signs or symptoms:
- Headache that is unusual or severe for you
- Double vision or loss of vision
- Speech impairment
- Leg or arm weakness
- Loss of consciousness
- Falling or difficulty walking
- Numbness or tingling
- Chest pain
- The cause of Meniere's disease isn't well understood. It appears to be the result of the abnormal volume or composition of fluid in the inner ear.
- The inner ear is a cluster of connected passages and cavities called a labyrinth. The outside of the inner ear is made of bone (bony labyrinth). Inside is a soft structure of membrane (membranous labyrinth) that's a slightly smaller, similarly shaped version of the bony labyrinth. The membranous labyrinth contains a fluid (endolymph) and is lined with hair-like sensors that respond to movement of the fluid.
In order for all of the sensors in the inner ear to function properly, the fluid needs to retain a certain volume, pressure and chemical composition. Factors that alter the properties of inner ear fluid may help cause Meniere's disease. Scientists have proposed a number of potential causes or triggers, including:
- Improper fluid drainage, perhaps because of a blockage or anatomic abnormality
- Abnormal immune response
- Allergies
- Viral infection
- Genetic predisposition
- Head trauma
- Migraines
Vertigo can also increase your risk of:
- Falls
- Accidents while driving a car or operating heavy machinery
- Depression or anxiety in dealing with the disease
- Permanent hearing loss
Thanks for the love and support during this time of not knowing what it was I could be facing. Much love!
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