Home > Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine > Ménière's Disease

Definition

Ménière's disease is a condition characterized by recurrent vertigo (dizziness), hearing loss, and tinnitus (a roaring, buzzing, or ringing sound in the ears).

Description

Ménière's disease was named for the French physician Prosper Ménière, who first described the illness in 1861. It is an abnormality within the inner ear. A fluid called endolymph moves in the membranous labyrinth or semicircular canals within the bony labyrinth inside the inner ear. When the head or body moves, the endolymph moves, causing nerve receptors in the membranous labyrinth to send signals to the brain about the body's motion. A change in the volume of the endolymph fluid, or...