Meniers
59Simple Tips to Manage Meniers Disease Without Spending A Cent
In 2001, I planned a self drive holiday to Italy and Monaco for my family. We had a great time there. At the end of the 17th days trip we were in Rome and getting ready to go to the airport. That morning I had a good Italian breakfast with a cup of hot chocolate. Immediately after I boarded the plane I started to feel giddy and vomited. It did not trigger my suspicious that I am suffering from some kind of illness. I thought I was just having air sickness, as I used to get car sick, sea sick and air sick when I was younger so it is natural to relate the attack as just a common aliment I had. I spent the whole 12 hours journey lying on the aircraft seat without taking any food and drink. It was terrible. My Meniere’s Disease went on undetected until the time I started to have continuous series episode of vertigo attacks.
Years later after I was diagnosed with Menier's Disease I learnt form the ENT specialist that I should avoid caffeine, alcohol and change to a low sodium diet. Eliminating these elements from my diet actually help to stabilized by Meniers condition. The vertigo attack become less frequent. If you recall the short account of my first episode of vertigo attack above you will notice that I took a cup of hot chocolate before I went to the airport, the cocoa that is rich in caffeine triggered the imbalance condition of the inner ear.
An attack is triggered when the water in the body builds up, salt, caffeine and alcohol tends to increase the water retention of the body and displays the balancing organ and caused the spinning of the head.
To all fellow meniere’s patient I would strongly recommend that you change your diet and you will certainly benefit from it. We may seems to loose out on a lot of delicious good food and drinks, however looking on the bright side it is a healthier diet and restricting these food it opens up a lot more varieties of choices.
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Meniers
- Meniers updated Thu Sep 4 2008 11:28 am CDT
I suffered from Meniere's Disease for eight years, the common symptoms are spinning vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, nausea, lost of sense of direction and a fullness sensation in the head. Sometimes it can be so bad that you will experience constant dizziness and floating sensation in your daily life. Hearing loss and tinnitus are permanent symptoms of Meniers that persist round the clock. Tinnitus can be very disturbing and irritating. However after so many years I learnt to live with it and ignore it. Before a vertigo attack is triggered the tinnitus condition worsens and the buzzing sound became extremely loud, this serves as a warning sign for timely precaution and treatment. Hearing loss is a great pain to me; I am handicapped by this loss and it certainly affects my ability to hear clearly in a noisy environment. Unfortunately this lost of hearing is irreversible. Wearing a hearing aid would not overcome the hearing problem as the nerves can not pick up even the loudest sound. It is a dead ear in medical term. Spinning vertigo is always triggered with nausea and fullness sensation in the head during an attack. An Meniers attack can last a few hours or a few days. An attack happens anytime and within a split second, hence Meniere's patient does not have time to prepare for an attack and therefore preventing one from performing simple activities like driving. I have to give up swimming and self drive holiday to avoid a mishap in case an attack is triggered. Sometime Meniers is classified as a form of disability due to restricted daily activities. The causes of Meniere's Disease is unknown, therefore there is no cure to this problem apart from destructive surgery and treatment that involves removal of your hearing organs or knocking off the nerves. This means if a cure is found later you will not benefit from it. Before reaching the surgery stage I would strongly recommend to try to change your life style and diet. This is the first advice I received from my ENT doctor, it helps to stabilize the condition. Change of life style includes doing regular exercise to built up immunity, learn to avoid stress by changing of mindset and attitude towards work and one expectation; for instant learn to totally switch off after work and take thing easily. Hanging out late at night is not good too, Meniere's patient need to rest early. I would encourage Meniere's patient to change your diet to a low sodium diet and cut off caffeine, alcohol and smoking. From my personal experience it works for me. From the day I received this advice from my doctor I have not taken any of these stuffs ever. Do not over estimate my determination, I am able to discipline is because an attack will happen without fail one hour after I take any of these food and drink . I have no choice but behave. - 16 months ago
