Meniere’s Disease

People between the ages of 20 and 50 are most likely to suffer from Meniere’s Disease. Factors that are associated with a higher incidence of Meniere’s Disease include:

• Migraine Headaches
• Head Trauma
• Abnormal Immune Response
• Allergies
• Genetic Predisposition

Yes, stress has been shown to make Meniere’s Disease symptoms worse. A qEEG Brain Map can identify if the Stress brain pattern is present and if so, what needs to be done to shift it back to the optimal brain pattern. The Stress pattern is one of hyperarousal and can be easily seen on the qEEG Brain Map. This pattern is also associated with disruptions in sleep and a scientific study shows that sleep deprivation can impair sleep in those who suffer from Meniere’s Disease. Sleep deprivation has been shown to make symptoms of Meniere’s worse by creating a negative cycle of poor sleep at night which makes symptoms worse in the day and so on. Neurofeedback Therapy is used to optimize the brain pattern, improve sleep, and reduce the hyper-arousal that can be making symptoms worse. When your brain performs better, so do you and symptoms can be reduced.

Signs and symptoms of Meniere’s disease include:

• Vertigo Episodes that Re-occur: Spinning episodes that start and stop spontaneously can recur periodically or continually. The Episodes begin without warning and usually last at least 20 minutes and up to several hours, but no more than 24 hours. Severe vertigo can cause nausea and vomiting.
• Hearing Loss: Hearing loss in Meniere’s Disease can come and go, especially early on with the disease. Most people suffer from permanent hearing loss later with the disease.
• Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears): Tinnitus is the perception of ringing, buzzing, hissing, roaring, or whistling sound in your ear. Tinnitus has been associated with abnormal EEG findings of people who suffer from it.
• Fullness in the Ear: Meniere’s Disease tends to make people feel like they have fullness in their ears.

Yes. A current study shows that people who suffer from Meniere’s Disease get caught in a negative loop that can perpetually make their symptoms worse. Science shows that a person who has Meniere’s suffers from serious disruptions in the sleep cycle which makes their symptoms of tinnitus and vertigo worse. The increase in symptoms makes sleeping even harder which keeps this cycle going. The cycle makes the symptoms worse and the sleep deprivation worse.

Although there is no cure for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome it is known that it is caused and made worse by three factors: (1) the brain pattern associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, (2) Stress, which is correlated with another, separate, brain pattern, and (3) Inflammation. When these three factors are addressed in concert, symptoms can reduce and be resolved much more quickly than if they are not. At Leigh Brain & Spine, the doctors identify the disruptive neurological patterns using qEEG Brain Mapping and then regulate those patterns toward optimal functioning using Neurofeedback Therapy. To address inflammation, they perform Food Sensitivity Testing to identify foods that are causing inflammation within the nervous symptom. Foods that your system are sensitive to can be causing symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or making them worse.

Limit Stress: as it is proven to make symptoms work Decrease Inflammation: by limiting salt, caffeine, and identifying and limiting foods that you are sensitive to Rest and Recover Remember, your brain is like a muscle. TI needs time to rest and recuperate. Don’t over do it or symptoms will worsen.

There is no one way to diagnose Meniere’s Disease. A visit to your primary care physician will rule out other neurological or vestibular problems that might be causing your symptoms. A qEEG Brain Map is used to identify if your brain is using the pattern in the temporal lobes that is associated with vertigo and tinnitus. Also, the negative sleep pattern can be identified which has been associated with making Meniere’s Disease symptoms worse. If a less than ideal brain pattern is being used, symptoms result. Many brain patterns have been identified through scientific studies to be associated with presenting symptoms. In the case of Meniere’s Disease there is a pattern that is associated with vertigo in people with Meniere’s and another associated with Tinnitus. The patterns are similar and in combination give people with Meniere’s Disease both symptoms. Most times, people who suffer from Meniere’s Disease also use the Stress brain pattern as identified on qEEG Brain Mapping. According to the Mayo Clinic, a diagnosis of Meniere’s Disease requires:

• At least two episodes of vertigo lasting longer than 2o minutes but no longer than 24 hours
• Verified hearing loss by an audiological hearing test
• Tinnitus or ringing in the ears
• Feeling of fullness in the ears
• Exclusion of other known causes of these problems

To date there is no cure for Meniere’s Disease. Treatments for Meniere’s Disease are geared toward reducing symptoms and improving quality of life. After the neurological patterns associated with Meniere’s Disease are identified, Brain-based therapies can improve the brain pattern. Once brain patterns are identified, they can be corrected. The underlying neurological patterns can be corrected and with correction brings symptom reduction and relief. Neurofeedback Therapy provides a measurable technique of improving the brain patterns while being able to see the improvement with your own eyes. Treatments for Meniere’s Disease Include: Surgeries and Medications for Meniere’s Disease: Most treatments for Meniere’s Disease are invasive or require long-term medication use. These include the following:

• Surgeries such as Labyrinthectomy, Vestibular Nerve Section, and Endolymphatic Sac procedure. These procedures change the way your ear operates surgically.
• Middle Ear Injections of antibiotics or steroids.
• Medications for anti-nausea or motion-sickness

Non-Invasive and Natural Treatments for Meniere’s Disease: Many people choose not to have surgery or medication for Meniere’s Disease. Therapies and devices are available to naturally bring the brain and body back into balance to improve symptoms and they include the following.

• Neurofeedback Therapy to improve brain functioning
• Meniett’s Device to apply pressure to the middle ear to improve fluid exchange
• Hearing Aid to improve hearing
• Vestibular Therapy to improve balance

Meniere’s Disease is associated with an EEG (electroencephalogram) brain pattern that can make vertigo, tinnitus, and sleep worse for people who suffer from Meniere’s Disease. What this means is that the areas of the brain that are involved in hearing, auditory processing, balance and proprioception are not working properly. Also, disruptions in sleep negatively impact the Meniere’s brain pattern making symptoms worse within the day. This keeps the negative cycle of suffering and sleeplessness going. With advancements in science and technology, doctors now can see the brain patterns and optimize them to alleviate symptoms. Once the brain patterns that are at the core of the issues are identified on qEEG Brain Mapping, then brain functioning can be improved neurologically to a symptom-free optimal brain pattern using Neurofeedback Therapy’s advanced technologies.

Current research studies show that people with vertigo suffer from EEG abnormalities within the temporal lobes of the brain. This pattern creates the feeling of self-motion (vertigo) when none is taking place. Impaired orientation in space that creates dizziness is also a symptom of Meniere’s Disease. The temporal lobes are found just above both ears as seen on the picture. The temporal lobes of the brain are responsible for auditory processing and are the main brain areas for hearing perception. The optimal brain pattern in these areas makes hearing and auditory function work at its best. Check out the Science page for the study on EEG findings of vertigo and tinnitus. qEEG Brain Mapping can identify if these brain patterns are present.

 

First, visit your primary care doctor. She or he can help determine if some other health condition is causing or contributing to your symptoms. If you are interested in finding out if your brain is operating with the brain patterns that have been proven to be associated with vertigo, tinnitus, or stress that can be making your Meniere’s symptoms worse, then call the professionals at Leigh Brain & Spine. The doctors will use state-of-the-art technology and neuroscience to show you the EEG patterns that your brain is using that might be at the root of your symptoms. Find out for yourself. They can help you identify the brain patterns and then know what your brain needs to improve how it is working to eliminate your symptoms.