Syndrome, Meniere

A condition with recurrent vertigo accompanied by ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and deafness. Symptoms include vertigo, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, loss of hearing (in the affected ear), and abnormal eye movements. Meniere syndrome or disease is due to dysfunction of the semi- circular canals (endolymphatic sac) in the inner ear. The treatment of Meniere disease usually includes medications (anticholinergic drugs, antihistamines, etc) to relieve the vertigo. Diuretics have been used to lower the pressure in the endolymphatic sac. The disease is named for the French physician Prosper Meniere (1799-1862) who described it. (Incidentally, Meniere's name on his birth certificate is spelled without any accent marks.) The condition is also called recurrent aural vertigo.