tinnitus Tinnitus And Meniere's Disease

[68mustang]

I was rated at 10% for tinnitus last year by the VA. I went to my private doctor yesterday and I described to him the problems that I have been having with my sense of balance. Any sudden movement of my head or movement while sitting in my desk chair causes me to lose my balance and become nauseous. Also when seeing TV if there are certain scenes,such as movement across or up and down the screen my balance is affected. The doctor said that what is causing the problem is Meniere's Disease. Does any know if this could be secondary to tinnitus and if it would be rated separately from the tinnitus? If I am already rated at 10% for tinnitus and I could filed for Meniere's does any one know what it might be rated at? Thanks for your help. 68mustang

[Josephine]

I was rated at 10% for tinnitus last year by the VA. I went to my private doctor yesterday and I described to him the problems that I have been having with my sense of balance. Any sudden movement of my head or movement while sitting in my desk chair causes me to lose my balance and become nauseous. Also when seeing TV if there are certain scenes,such as movement across or up and down the screen my balance is affected. The doctor said that what is causing the problem is Meniere's Disease. Does any know if this could be secondary to tinnitus and if it would be rated separately from the tinnitus? If I am already rated at 10% for tinnitus and I could filed for Meniere's does any one know what it might be rated at? Thanks for your help. 68mustang

I just may be able to help you. First tell me why you have the 10% service connection for the Tinnitus?

I have no sense of balance and have not had since 1994. I have severe Vestibular Disease.

I have lived and experienced everything that you are speaking of.

What I am going to try to do is find the link to your present service connection.

I am pretty good at it, but you have to live this illness to know it.

Always,

Betty

[68mustang]

I just may be able to help you. First tell me why you have the 10% service connection for the Tinnitus?

I have no sense of balance and have not had since 1994. I have severe Vestibular Disease.

I have lived and experienced everything that you are speaking of.

What I am going to try to do is find the link to your present service connection.

I am pretty good at it, but you have to live this illness to know it.

Always,

Betty

Thank you all for the info. I was exposed to hazardous noise levels while working in a Navy destroyer's boileroom and engineroom. I filed a VA claim in 1989 and it was denied. I filed again in 2007 and my claim was approved.68mustang

[68mustang]

I just found this also form the VA ratings schedule:

6260 Tinnitus, recurrent.......................................................................

.................................... 10

Note (1): A separate evaluation for tinnitus may be combined with an evaluation under diagnostic codes 6100, 6200, 6204, or other diagnostic code, except when tinnitus supports an evaluation under one of those diagnostic codes.

It sounds like to me you could be rated separately or combined depending on the situation.

Thank you for the information. I'll have to talk to the DVA rep. and see what he says I should do.68mustang

[Josephine]

Thank you all for the info. I was exposed to hazardous noise levels while working in a Navy destroyer's boileroom and engineroom. I filed a VA claim in 1989 and it was denied. I filed again in 2007 and my claim was approved.68mustang

What causes Ménière's disease?

The symptoms of Ménière's disease are associated with a change in

fluid volume within a portion of the inner ear known as the

labyrinth. The labyrinth has two parts: the bony labyrinth and the

membranous labyrinth. The membranous labyrinth, which is encased by

bone, is necessary for hearing and balance and is filled with a fluid

called endolymph. When your head moves, endolymph moves, causing

nerve receptors in the membranous labyrinth to send signals to the

brain about the body's motion. An increase in endolymph, however, can

cause the membranous labyrinth to balloon or dilate, a condition

known as endolymphatic hydrops.

Many experts on Ménière's disease think that a rupture of the

membranous labyrinth allows the endolymph to mix with perilymph,

another inner ear fluid that occupies the space between the

membranous labyrinth and the bony inner ear. This mixing, scientists

believe, can cause the symptoms of Ménière's disease. Scientists are

investigating several possible causes of the disease, including

environmental factors, such as noise pollution and viral infections,

as well as biological factors.

What are the symptoms of Ménière's disease?

The symptoms of Ménière's disease occur suddenly and can arise daily

or as infrequently as once a year. Vertigo, often the most

debilitating symptom of Ménière's disease, typically involves a

whirling dizziness that forces the sufferer to lie down. Vertigo

attacks can lead to severe nausea, vomiting, and sweating and often

come with little or no warning.

Some individuals with Ménière's disease have attacks that start with

tinnitus (ear noises), a loss of hearing, or a full feeling or

pressure in the affected ear. It is important to remember that all of

these symptoms are unpredictable. Typically, the attack is

characterized by a combination of vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss

lasting several hours. People experience these discomforts at varying

frequencies, durations, and intensities. Some may feel slight vertigo

a few times a year. Others may be occasionally disturbed by intense,

uncontrollable tinnitus while sleeping. Ménière's disease sufferers

may also notice a hearing lossand feel unsteady all day long

for

prolonged periods. Other occasional symptoms of Ménière's disease

include headaches, abdominal discomfort, and diarrhea. A person's

hearing tends to recover between attacks but over time becomes worse.

Has your doctor or any doctor performed the necessary test to confirm the Meniere'?

Proper diagnosis of Ménière's disease entails several procedures,

including a medical history interview and a physical examination by a

physician, hearing and balance tests, and medical imaging with

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Accurate measurement and

characterization of hearing loss are of critical importance in the

diagnosis of Ménière's disease.

Through the use of several types of hearing tests, physicians can

characterize hearing loss as being sensory, arising from the inner

ear, or neural, arising from the hearing nerve. Recording the

auditory brain stem response, which measures electrical activity in

the hearing nerve and brain stem, is useful in differentiating

between these two types of hearing loss. Electrocochleography,

recording the electrical activity of the inner ear in response to

sound, helps confirm the diagnosis.

To test the vestibular or balance system, physicians irrigate the

ears with warm and cool water or air. This procedure, known as

caloric testing, results in nystagmus, rapid eye movements that can

help a physician analyze a balance disorder. Since tumor growth can

produce symptoms similar to Ménière's disease, an MRI is a useful

test to determine whether a tumor is causing the patient's vertigo

and hearing loss.

Let me know if this helps?

Betty

[68mustang]

What causes Ménière's disease?

The symptoms of Ménière's disease are associated with a change in

fluid volume within a portion of the inner ear known as the

labyrinth. The labyrinth has two parts: the bony labyrinth and the

membranous labyrinth. The membranous labyrinth, which is encased by

bone, is necessary for hearing and balance and is filled with a fluid

called endolymph. When your head moves, endolymph moves, causing

nerve receptors in the membranous labyrinth to send signals to the

brain about the body's motion. An increase in endolymph, however, can

cause the membranous labyrinth to balloon or dilate, a condition

known as endolymphatic hydrops.

Many experts on Ménière's disease think that a rupture of the

membranous labyrinth allows the endolymph to mix with perilymph,

another inner ear fluid that occupies the space between the

membranous labyrinth and the bony inner ear. This mixing, scientists

believe, can cause the symptoms of Ménière's disease. Scientists are

investigating several possible causes of the disease, including

environmental factors, such as noise pollution and viral infections,

as well as biological factors.

What are the symptoms of Ménière's disease?

The symptoms of Ménière's disease occur suddenly and can arise daily

or as infrequently as once a year. Vertigo, often the most

debilitating symptom of Ménière's disease, typically involves a

whirling dizziness that forces the sufferer to lie down. Vertigo

attacks can lead to severe nausea, vomiting, and sweating and often

come with little or no warning.

Some individuals with Ménière's disease have attacks that start with

tinnitus (ear noises), a loss of hearing, or a full feeling or

pressure in the affected ear. It is important to remember that all of

these symptoms are unpredictable. Typically, the attack is

characterized by a combination of vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss

lasting several hours. People experience these discomforts at varying

frequencies, durations, and intensities. Some may feel slight vertigo

a few times a year. Others may be occasionally disturbed by intense,

uncontrollable tinnitus while sleeping. Ménière's disease sufferers

may also notice a hearing lossand feel unsteady all day long

for

prolonged periods. Other occasional symptoms of Ménière's disease

include headaches, abdominal discomfort, and diarrhea. A person's

hearing tends to recover between attacks but over time becomes worse.

Has your doctor or any doctor performed the necessary test to confirm the Meniere'?

Proper diagnosis of Ménière's disease entails several procedures,

including a medical history interview and a physical examination by a

physician, hearing and balance tests, and medical imaging with

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Accurate measurement and

characterization of hearing loss are of critical importance in the

diagnosis of Ménière's disease.

Through the use of several types of hearing tests, physicians can

characterize hearing loss as being sensory, arising from the inner

ear, or neural, arising from the hearing nerve. Recording the

auditory brain stem response, which measures electrical activity in

the hearing nerve and brain stem, is useful in differentiating

between these two types of hearing loss. Electrocochleography,

recording the electrical activity of the inner ear in response to

sound, helps confirm the diagnosis.

To test the vestibular or balance system, physicians irrigate the

ears with warm and cool water or air. This procedure, known as

caloric testing, results in nystagmus, rapid eye movements that can

help a physician analyze a balance disorder. Since tumor growth can

produce symptoms similar to Ménière's disease, an MRI is a useful

test to determine whether a tumor is causing the patient's vertigo

and hearing loss.

Let me know if this helps?

Betty

Yes. It gives me more info. on what could be causing it and the tests that need to be done to confirm that I might have the disease. I also noticed that your reply states that scientist are investigating whether the disease could be caused by noise pollution. Since I developed tinnitus first I am wondering if the Meniere's Disease could be secondary to the tinnitus? Thanks for your help. 68mustang

[Josephine]

Yes. It gives me more info. on what could be causing it and the tests that need to be done to confirm that I might have the disease. I also noticed that your reply states that scientist are investigating whether the disease could be caused by noise pollution. Since I developed tinnitus first I am wondering if the Meniere's Disease could be secondary to the tinnitus? Thanks for your help. 68mustang

68mustang,

Go to your best "Otolaryngology Specialist" and have the needed test performed and your private insurance will pay the fee.

After the test are performed, have the specialist write you a letter connecting the two.

He will know exactly how to do this.

Betty