Skip to main content

Symptom Pattern of Meniere Disease Often Changes Over Time

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 4, 2024.

via HealthDay

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 4, 2024 -- Meniere disease (MD) shows a complex disease course, with initial symptoms decreasing and others persisting and worsening over time, according to a study published online Nov. 7 in Frontiers in Neurology.

Ilmari Pyykko, M.D., from Tampere University in Finland, and colleagues analyzed the symptom profile of MD with a focus on the cessation of episodic vertigo, the longitudinal disease course, and the impact of major symptoms on quality of life (QoL). The analysis included 365 patients with definite MD.

The researchers found that the onset of MD was characterized by simultaneous hearing loss, vertigo, and tinnitus in 38 percent of participants. Many experienced a significant delay in diagnosis, with 20 percent experiencing a delay of more than five years. Over time, the frequency and duration of vertigo attacks generally decreased, with attacks becoming shorter and less severe as the disease progressed. One-third of patients (34 percent) had spontaneous remission from episodic vertigo. Additionally, 65.5 percent of participants reported balance issues, 34 percent mild vestibular drop attacks (VDAs), and 10 percent severe falls. Longer disease duration was associated with VDAs. More than one-third of patients (34.5 percent) developed bilateral hearing loss, with a higher risk associated with younger age at onset, migraines, and family history of MD. Participants with constant dizziness and with factors like fatigue, depression, VDA, and hearing loss experienced lower QoL.

"Assessing MD solely on primary symptoms like vertigo and hearing loss is insufficient; a comprehensive evaluation is necessary for effective management," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Racialized Economic Segregation Linked to Advanced Cancer Diagnosis

FRIDAY, Aug. 1, 2025 -- People living in racially and economically segregated neighborhoods are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced-stage breast and cervical cancer...

New Subtype of Diabetes Identified in Sub-Saharan Africans, Black Americans

FRIDAY, Aug. 1, 2025 -- A new diabetes subtype has been identified in Sub-Saharan Africans and Black Americans, according to a study published online July 21 in The Lancet...

Changes in Missouri Law Linked to Increased Breast Cancer Screening Rates

THURSDAY, July 31, 2025 -- Changes in Missouri law expanding breast cancer screening coverage have led to increased screening rates among Medicaid patients and an increased...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.