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Ménière’s disease, explained
This inner ear condition can affect your balance and hearing — and leave you feeling dizzy. Here’s what to know.
Ever had the sensation that the room is spinning or tilting around you, even though you’re standing still? That’s known as vertigo. And it can make you feel dizzy and off-balance.
Vertigo is a common symptom of Ménière’s disease, an inner ear disorder that tends to start after age 40.1 Ménière’s disease can cause balance and hearing problems. People with this condition get sudden, regular dizzy spells that come on without a warning. They may also notice ringing or a feeling of pressure in one ear.
Fortunately, the disorder is rare. Less than 1% of people in the U.S. have it, according to the Hearing Research Foundation.2 And there are ways to manage the symptoms. Read on to learn more.
What causes Ménière’s disease?
Experts don’t exactly know what causes the disorder. But the symptoms may come from a buildup of inner ear fluid (called endolymph) in a section of the inner ear called the labyrinth.3
Too much fluid in that part of the ear can affect your balance. It can also interrupt the signals from the ear to the brain, affecting how well you hear.
Some issues that might trigger that fluid buildup include:4
- Allergies
- Something blocking the labyrinth so that fluid can’t drain
- A head injury
- Migraine headaches
- A viral infection
- Genetics. About 10% of people with Ménière’s disease have a family history of it.4
Usually, it’s not one thing that causes Ménière’s disease. It’s a combination.
Who’s most at risk for Ménière’s disease?
Anyone can develop the disorder. But these groups of people have a higher chance of getting it:3
- People between the ages of 40 and 60
- Women
- Those with a family history of the disease
- People who already have an autoimmune disorder, like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis
What are the signs of Ménière’s disease?
Most patients with Ménière’s disease have vertigo, says Kristen Conners, Au.D. She’s the chief audiologist at Prescription Hearing in Palos Park, Illinois. Those dizzy spells can come at any time. “You could be driving in the car, you could be lying in bed,” she says. “These vertigo attacks can last 20 minutes, or they could last all day.”
You may also have nausea or even vomiting. Some people end up in the emergency room the first time they get a vertigo attack, says Conners. “They have no idea what’s going on. They think they’re having a stroke or heart attack.”
Some people with Ménière’s disease just have vertigo attacks. Others notice these symptoms, too:4
- Hearing loss, usually in one ear
- Pressure, or a feeling of fullness, usually in one ear
- Tinnitus, or ringing in one ear
How is Ménière’s disease diagnosed?
Typically, someone with vertigo will end up seeing an ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT), says Conners.
An ENT will review your symptoms and ask about your medical history. “They’ll look to see if there’s a family history of the disease or of autoimmune diseases,” she adds.
They’ll also run tests to check whether Ménière’s disease or something else may be causing your vertigo. Diagnosing the disease can be tricky because the symptoms overlap with many other conditions.
The tests may include:4
- A hearing test
- Balance testing. These include tests to check your eye movements that can signal problems with the inner ear.
- Tests for your inner ear that can show fluid buildup
- An MRI (to rule out a tumor)
How is Ménière’s disease treated?
There is no cure for Ménière’s disease. But doctors have several options to help manage vertigo and other symptoms. Your doctor may recommend:4
- Medication. This could include:
- Drugs for motion sickness and nausea
- Diuretics (water pills) to help flush fluid from the inner ear
- Betahistine to improve blood flow to the ear
- Steroids to lower inflammation
- Vestibular rehabilitation. You'll learn exercises that help improve balance.
- Lifestyle changes. This includes changes to your diet: cutting down on salt (so you don’t retain liquids) and caffeine and alcohol (which can restrict blood flow to your ear). Smoking cigarettes can also affect blood flow to the ear, says Conners. If you’re a smoker, you should quit.
In severe cases, doctors may suggest surgery.
Will I need a hearing aid if I have Ménière’s disease?
Maybe, if your symptoms include tinnitus or hearing loss. The ENT will try to get the vertigo under control first. Then an audiologist or hearing aid specialist will fit you with a hearing aid, if necessary.
A hearing aid could help with your balance (though it won’t help with the vertigo). A device may also help relieve the fullness and pressure in your ear. “Most of the time we can mask or cover up the tinnitus, so the patient doesn’t notice the tinnitus when they’re wearing the hearing aid,” says Conners.
Another benefit of a hearing aid? Getting the vertigo and hearing issues under control may decrease the stress of having Ménière’s disease.
Ready to request a hearing exam and consultation? AARP Hearing Solutions has a national network of hearing care professionals. Request an appointment.
Sources
- Ménière’s disease National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Accessed September 24, 2025.
- Ménière’s disease American Hearing Research Foundation. Accessed September 24, 2025.
- Ménière’s disease: diagnosis and treatment Mayo Clinic. Accessed September 24, 2025.
- Ménière’s disease Cleveland Clinic. Accessed September 24, 2025.
Information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of a licensed medical provider. Consult your provider prior to making changes to your lifestyle or health care routine.
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