Treatment Options for Ménière's Disease

Some people with Ménière’s disease will benefit from lifestyle changes and medication. Others may need surgery. Alternatively, therapy, such as low pressure pulse therapy, may reduce swelling and pressure in the inner ear. For some, this may mean relief from one of the disease’s worst symptom: vertigo.

For some individuals, Ménière’s disease improves with or without treatment.¹ For others, symptoms may get progressively worse. It is believed that Ménière’s disease may be caused by excess swelling and fluid in the hearing and balance canals of the inner ear. Most treatments try to decrease this fluid.^1-5 Your doctor will generally prescribe treatments in order of lower risk to higher risk⁶ to find one that effectively controls your symptoms.

Diet/Lifestyle Changes and Medical Therapy

This treatment may include a low sodium diet, diuretic therapy, fluid intake, stress management and various medications.^1,2

Low Pressure Pulse Therapy

This micropressure therapy may reduce swelling and pressure in the inner ear to relieve symptoms of severe dizziness and vertigo.

Surgical Treatments

Usually, surgical treatment is only considered after all other treatments have failed to ease your symptoms. You and your doctor may decide to try a surgical treatment such as:

• Draining fluid from the inner ear¹⁶
• Cutting the balance nerve to reduce vertigo intensity¹⁷
• Removing the balance portion of the inner ear. This relieves the vertigo but causes complete, permanent hearing loss in the affected ear
• Chemical labyrinthectomy with drugs injected into the inner ear to reduce balance function and risk of hearing loss^18,19

If you have questions about your condition and treatment options, please consult your ENT or ear specialist.

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