Ménière’s disease - Causes of Ménière’s disease
- Introduction
- Symptoms of Ménière's disease
- Causes of Ménière’s disease
- Diagnosing Ménière's disease
- Treating Ménière's disease
- Living with Ménière's disease
- ‘I love listening to music - it drowns out the tinnitus'
The exact cause of Ménière's disease isn't clear, although it's thought to be caused by a problem with the pressure in the inner ear.
The inner ear is made up of:
- the cochlea – a coiled, spiral tube that contains two fluid-filled chambers and is responsible for hearing
- the vestibular apparatus – a complex set of tubes that help to control balance
The fluid inside the inner ear is called endolymph.
If the pressure of the endolymph fluid changes – for example, because there is too much fluid – it can result in symptoms such as vertigo and tinnitus.
It's thought that this pressure change is responsible for Ménière's disease, although it hasn't been proven.
Increased risk
Although the exact cause of Ménière's disease is unknown, the following factors may increase the risk of developing the condition:
- autoimmunity – when your immune system attacks your own tissues and organs by mistake
- genetic (inherited) factors – for example, if you have a family history of the condition
- a chemical imbalance in the fluid in your inner ear – as a result of too little or too much sodium or potassium in your body
- a problem with the blood vessels – there's a link between Ménière's disease and migraines, which are thought to be caused by the narrowing and widening of blood vessels
- some viral infections – such as meningitis
Vertigo
Vertigo is the sensation that you or the environment around you is moving or spinning.
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is the medical name for the perception of noise in one ear, both ears or in the head. The noise comes from inside the body rather than an outside source.
Allergy
Allergy is the term used to describe an adverse (bad) reaction that the body has to a particular substance.
Immune system
The immune system is the body's defence system, which helps protect it from disease, bacteria and viruses.
Genetic
Genetic is a term that refers to genes. Genes are the characteristics inherited from a family member.
Blood vessels
Blood vessels are the tubes in which blood travels to and from parts of the body. The three main types of blood vessels are veins, arteries and capillaries.
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