Learn About: Meniere's Disease

Please remember: This is just a basic overview of what Meniere's Disease is and how it affects people.
Meniere's disease is an inner ear disorder that affects balance and hearing. A person with Meniere's disease will have 'attacks' or 'episodes' where he/she will have a loss of hearing, a change in pressure in the ear, or will experience a loud ringing. 
A person's hearing tends to get better in between 'attacks,' but their overall hearing gets progressively worse over time. 

Meniere's disease affects many people, and the exact cause is unclear, but just like with any other disability, a person with Meniere's disease can live a normal life.  

A common symptom of Meniere's disease is Vertigo. Vertigo is the feeling that you are spinning, moving, or that the world is spinning or moving around you. Vertigo is often associated with dizziness. 

No dominant and proven cure exists for this Meniere's disease, but there are treatments to help reduce Vertigo, fatigue, and certain medications can be prescribed to reduce the amount of fluid in the ear. [All methods of medication/treatment should be discussed with a medical professional.]

Many people who suffer from Meniere's disease wear hearing aids, which help with the 'attacks' and (depending on the person) help them adapt to their progressively declining hearing. (Hearing aids in no way help reduce hearing loss)

Meniere's disease has even proved helpful for people like actress Katie Leclerc who suffers from Meniere's, and is now the co-star of a show where she plays a deaf girl switched at birth with a hearing girl. 

Just like with any 'disability,' having Meniere's Disease, or being deaf or hard of hearing, does not need to affect your social, academic, and/or professional career.


For more information: http://www.menieres.org/ 
Katie Leclerc interview: http://abilitymagazine.com/Katie-Leclerc.html

Questions? Comments? Email us at thecommunicareproject@gmail.com