Ménière's disease Ménière's disease Ménière's disease (MD) is a disorder of the inner ear that is characterized by episodes of feeling like the world is spinning (vertigo), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), hearing loss, and a fullness in the ear. Typically only one ear is affected, at least initially; however, over time both ears may become involved. Episodes generally last from 20 minutes to a few hours. The time between episodes varies. Over time the hearing loss and ringing in the ears may become constant. The cause of Ménière's disease is unclear but likely involves both genetic and environmental factors. A number
Autoimmune inner ear disease cells that cause damage to the inner ear. There are several theories that propose a cause of AIED: Currently, the cross-reactions theory appears to be the favored mechanism of AIED pathogenesis. Since AIED symptoms are fairly common to many hearing loss disorders, it may be difficult to diagnose AIED without performing multiple medical tests. Some examples of these tests include: There are also blood tests specific to inner ear disorders: Though it has also been proposed that the use of anti heat shock protein 70 antibodies may be useful in the detection and diagnosis of AIED, there is not enough