Vertigo: New Research Benefits Vertigo & Tinnitus the Ringing of Menieres Disease

What do Van Gogh, Barbara Streisand, David Letterman, William Shatner and Neil Young Have In Common?

They are all affected by tinnitus, vertigo or ringing in the ears associated with Menieres disease. Vincent Van Gogh is thought to have suffered from tinnitus. In his letters, Van Gogh tells of suffering from ringing or roaring in the ears, impaired hearing and the intolerance of loud noises. In Van Gogh’s day Menieres was not well known and his doctors concluded he was suffering from epileptic seizures and madness.

Scientists Discover Key To Vertigo Relief

Tinnitus is defined as the “experience of noises” in the head or ears. But there is no source making that sound. Sufferers describe scores of sounds including a high-pitched ringing, hissing, rushing, pulsating and so on. Many compare it to the sound of a TV’s high-pitched signal or sensation of fullness, pressure or even discomfort in the ears or head.

This condition also includes vertigo (loss of balance) nausea and vomiting.

One third of these people say that it affects the quality of their life.

Surgery, unless there is an underlying cause, will not relieve tinnitus. Although it is not known exactly what causes Menieres disease, it is known that people can be pre-disposed to it through: Hearing loss, A blow to the head, Exposure to loud noises, Imbalance of the jaw, Allergies, Infection, Whip lash, Physical or emotional stress. There are several areas that show promise for those who suffer from Tinnitus, or Menieres disease and vertigo:

Published Clinical Trials

Tinnitus, Menieres and Vertigo are being treated by a number of researchers as an auto-immune disease.

This means that the immune system is “over the top” and is attacking the inner ear, causing an abnormality in the fluids of the inner ear. Indeed, approaching the disease from this perspective is bringing new methods for relieving its symptoms.

Re-balancing the immune system has been found to be able to significantly reduce symptoms:

1) Researchers in both Japan and in Italy have shown marked improvement of Menieres disease, hearing disorders and tinnitus by raising the body's overall level of glutathione.

They demonstrated a significant decrease in disability by "modulating," or re-balancing the immune system by raising peoples' glutathione levels.

2) Research at McGill University has demonstrated that this is best accomplished through a nutraceutical that balances the immune.

Discovery For Re-Balancing the Immune System for Vertigo About Re-Balancing the Immune for Auto Immune e.g Menieres Disease Protein Supplement Clinically Shown to Strengthen the Immune

For Recommendation of Supplements for Menieres Symptoms: Vertigo and Tinnitus

More Sleep Gets Relief for Ringing Ears

Regular sleep may ease the phantom ringing that tinnitus sufferers hear, even though a solid 8 hours of snoozing can be elusive because of this ringing.

Washington University researchers gave 18 people with tinnitus melatonin every night for a month to help them sleep, and then tracked them for a second month when they did not receive the melatonin.

By the end of the two months peoples’ tinnitus symptoms had dropped by nearly 30 per cent. They slept best while taking melatonin, a hormone that kicks in at night which tells the body that it is time to sleep. Shut-eye improvement continued even in their second month when they discontinued the melatonin.

If tinnitus is keeping you up, you can try a white-noise machine or take melatonin, either in drops or from a nutritional source such as tart Montmorency cherries.

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Unpublished “Residual Inhibition Treatment” for Tinnitus

A professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of New Brunswick named Don Lyon has developed what he believes to be the first commercially available technique to correctly diagnose and treat tinnitus.

He has developed a software package that allows the audiologist to use the computer for a hearing test that will pinpoint both the frequency and tone of the ringing. The audiologist then duplicates that sound on a CD so the patient can take it home to listen to.

This method of dealing with the incessant ringing is called "Residual Inhibition", which occurs when those with tinnitus listen to a specific sound for a short while and then notice that their tinnitus is gone, or is significantly reduced in volume.

The Residual Inhibition Treatment Program consists of an initial appointment that includes a tinnitus assessment, an audiological evaluation and counseling. A follow-up session is conducted after the person has spent a week listening to each of the three tracks.

The Canadian Hearing Society has performed trials of this method, the results of which is being compiled and are not yet published. The Canadian Hearing Society "endeavours to ensure that people with disabilities no longer are the last ones to benefit from new technological advances that benefit deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people."

For further information on the above or any other device, do not hesitate to contact the Canadian Hearing Society at (613) 521-0509 (Ottawa Chapter) The Canadian Hearing Society

What Is Menieres Disease, Vertigo and Tinnitus?

Menieres disease is a non-fatal but emotionally debilitating ear disorder that causes spells of vertigo, loss of balance, tinnitus, (ringing in the ears) and, eventually, hearing loss. Meniere's disease (MD) is a complex disorder. In each person, the symptoms vary in their severity, scope and longevity. In some people it will be a trivial event, whereas in others it will be a lifelong limitation.

Menieres Disease, or Morbus Menieres (MM), is a disease of the inner ear that is a very disturbing illness , presenting patients with hearing loss, pressure in the ear, tinnitus (ringing or roaring), severe imbalance and vertigo. Menieres disease is also called idiopathic (unknown cause) endolymphatic hydrops.

It results in an abnormality in the fluids of the inner ear. People who have Menieres disease often refer to it as The Beast, Many Ears, Mean Ears, or The Invisible Crippler.

Meniere's disease has various symptoms, thus diagnosis is often difficult; it is a diagnosis of exclusions through various auditory and neurological testing. Meniere's disease is not curable, but treatments for some people have been successful.

Meniere's disease is very individualistic. Meniere's triggers and degree of Meniere's symptoms vary. It is best to discuss ALL treatment possibilities with doctors specializing in Meniere's disease, and an audiologist. No single treatment is effective in all patients. Always inquire or consult with your doctor and/or pharmacist of side effects or risks.

Vertigo Links:

SEE: Johns Hopkins Center for Hearing and Balance.

Tinnitus, Vertigo and Menieres disease are listed as an autoimmune-related disease by the American Autoimmune Related Disease Association.

SEE: American Autoimmune Related Disease Association

SEE: Living Well With Autoimmune Disease

SEE: Background for Vertigo: Auto Immune Diseases

Health Discoveries: Menieres Symptoms Vertigo and Tinnitus

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