MENIERE DISEASE

Course overview

MENIERE DISEASE IS AN INNER EAR DISORDER CHARACTERIZED BY TINNITUS, VERTIGO, AND HEARING LOSS. THIS IS THOUGHT TO OCCUR DUE TO THE ACCUMULATION OF ENDOLYMPHATIC FLUID IN THE COCHLEA AND THE VESTIBULAR ORGAN. IN MOST CASES, IT IS SLOWLY PROGRESSIVE AND SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTS THE SOCIAL FUNCTIONING OF THE INDIVIDUAL AFFECTED. HEARING LOSS, TINNITUS, AND VERTIGO ARE ALL COMMON SYMPTOMATIC COMPLAINTS WITH MANY POTENTIAL CAUSES, YET ACTUAL MENIERE DISEASE IS QUITE RARE AND IS FUNDAMENTALLY A DIAGNOSIS OF EXCLUSION. THE CURRENT DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA DEFINED BY THE BARANY SOCIETY BY LOPEZ-ESCAMEZ, ET AL. CAN HELP DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN PROBABLE AND DEFINITE MENIERE'S DISEASE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF MENIERE DISEASE AND EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.