Meniere’s disease has been described as if one is feeling seasick and has a jet engine roaring in his ears. It afflicts as many as 200 out of 100,000 people and usually begins around age 40. The vestibular system and the inner ear are affected. No one is sure exactly what causes Meniere’s to occur, but a link has been established between its onset and trauma to the head or neck. It is known for the following symptoms:
Vertigo – a false sensation of movement
A feeling of fullness in the affected ear
Tinnitus – ringing in the ears
Hearing loss that can become permanent
An Option for Meniere’s Disease Patients
Meniere’s can be hard to care for. Research is constantly being done to find a solution to provide long-lasting answers. A new method called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is being tried on Meniere’s patients. It involves placing a large magnetic coil on the patient’s head. Using magnetic frequencies, the goal is to stimulate certain parts of the brain and particular nerves to alleviate some symptoms. Patients report their symptoms of tinnitus have improved for six months afterward.
Caring for Meniere’s Disease Naturally
One thing most patients with Meniere’s disease want is to be able to care for the condition naturally and non-invasively. An area seeing success in doing just that is upper cervical chiropractic care. A small group of doctors around the globe practice this type of chiropractic care that does not require cracking or popping the spine. We focus on making sure the atlas – the top bone of the spine – is in proper alignment. We use a very gentle method to help realign it. Why is atlas alignment so important?
The nerves and muscles of the neck that work along with the atlas can be affected negatively if there is a misalignment. This means the ears many not drain properly, the balancing system of the body is not working right, and one may not be able to hear correctly. Once the misalignment is fixed, patients often report seeing a decrease in Meniere’s symptoms.