5 Theories On the Cause of Meniere’s Disease

The exact cause of Meniere’s disease remains a bit of a mystery in the scientific community. Essentially, Meniere’s disease is a condition that affects the inner ear and causes severe vertigo episodes, ringing in the ear, hearing loss, and a feeling of congestion in the ear.  Meniere’s disease can develop at any age, but it’s much more likely to happen between the ages of 40 and 60. Many theories have been proposed to try and explain the various symptoms that affect Meniere’s sufferers.  

Possible cause of Meniere's Disease

Here are some of the leading theories on the causes of Meniere’s disease:

1. Constriction of blood vessels
2. Viral infection
3. Allergy
4. Autoimmune reaction
5. Genetics

Most people understand that when there is a problem with the ear, balance can also be impacted.  The reason behind this is the many receptors and sensors within the ear that are constantly communicating signals to and from the brain about the position of the body.  The brain relies on these signals to make necessary corrections to posture on an ongoing basis.  For people with Meniere’s disease, a buildup of excess fluid in the inner ear causes a malfunction of these sensors, and this contributes to the severe vertigo that can accompany an episode.

How can Upper Cervical Chiropractic Help?

Upper cervical chiropractic deals with the relationship of the head and neck by looking at the specific alignment of the uppermost vertebra in the spine, the atlas.  The atlas sits just beneath the skull and quite literally holds the head up.  The atlas vertebra can shift out of normal alignment from an accident, injury, or daily wear and tear.  When this happens, it affects how the head is positioned over the body, creates abnormal tension or pressure on the brainstem, and can lead to a distortion of signals travelling via the spinal cord between the brain and body.  An atlas misalignment can be an underlying cause of Meniere’s disease and vertigo that many times goes unchecked.

Meniere’s sufferers who find their way to our office undergo a thorough evaluation to see if their head-neck alignment can be contributing to their inner ear and balance issues.  If an atlas misalignment is present, we work to gently correct your alignment with precise adjustments.  It is through this process we are able to help your body heal from the stubborn symptoms of Meniere’s disease.  

Reference:

https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/menieres-disease

About the Author

Dr. Geoff Besso, DC, DCCJP

Besso Clinic of Chiropractic

Dr. Geoff Besso graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Clemson University. Following his bachelor’s degree he enrolled at the prestigious Life University in Atlanta, Georgia. After a four year intensive program, he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 2002. He became an upper cervical chiropractor in Stow in 2005. Dr. Besso and his wife, Amy Besso, DC, opened their practice in Stow, Ohio, in 2005 and have been blessed to help thousands of patients with conditions ranging from Fibromyalgia to Migraine Headaches to Meniere’s Disease.