The mystery of my hearing loss has been solved. A year ago next month, Sept. 21st, is when I lost hearing in my left ear. After an MRI and many other tests, no conclusion was drawn until two weeks ago. I wasn't feeling well and went to my doctor with a list of symptoms. He concluded that I have Meniere's Disease.
According to the Vestibular Disorders Association website; "Ménière’s disease is a chronic, incurable vestibular (inner ear) disorder defined in 1995 by the Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium of the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery. In plain language, this means that Ménière’s disease, a form of endolymphatic hydrops, produces a recurring set of symptoms as a result of abnormally large amounts of a fluid called endolymph collecting in the inner ear. Ménière’s disease can develop at any age, but it is more likely to happen to adults between 40 and 60 years of age."
"Common symptoms of a Ménière’s disease attack do not reflect the entire picture of the disorder, because symptoms vary. Oncoming attacks are often preceded by an “aura,” or the specific set of warning symptoms, listed below. Paying attention to these warning symptoms can allow a person to move to a safe or more comfortable situation before an attack."
· balance
disturbance
dizziness,
lightheadedness· headache, increased ear pressure
· hearing loss or tinnitus increase
· sound sensitivity
· vague feeling of uneasiness
· ear fullness (aural fullness) and/or tinnitus
In addition to
the above main symptoms, attacks can also include:
· anxiety, fear· blurry vision or eye jerking
· nausea and vomiting
· cold sweat, palpitations or rapid pulse
· trembling
concentration difficulty, distractibility, tendency to grope for words
· fatigue, malaise, sleepiness
· heavy head sensation
· neck ache or stiff neck
Following the attack, a period of extreme fatigue or exhaustion often occurs, prompting the need for hours of sleep.
Existing
treatments for Ménière’s disease in the U.S. involves adhering to a
reduced-sodium diet. "Coping with
Ménière’s disease is challenging because attacks are unpredictable, it is
incurable, some of the symptoms are not obvious to others, and most people know
virtually nothing about the disorder. Many people with Ménière’s disease are
thrust into the role of educator—they must teach themselves, their family,
friends, coworkers, and sometimes even health care professionals about the
disorder and how it impacts them."
I know this is a
long post, but I wanted to share the details of what I am dealing with. Notice
all of the above paragraphs are in quotes. Those are not my words, but the
words from Vestibular disorders association website. Now that you know what I
am dealing with, I would ask that you pray for me as I learn how to deal with
each situation. As always I trust the Lord in this and will continue to do as
one of my favorite verses says; "
Go be a blessing . . .
