Treating Meniere’s Disease: Medicines

Meniere’s disease is a problem with the inner ear. Certain medicines can help manage the symptoms of this disease. Some help reduce fluid pressure in the inner ear. Others help ease symptoms themselves. But no medicine will cure Meniere’s disease. And no one medicine is right for everyone. Discuss your options with your healthcare provider.

Reducing the fluid

Fluid buildup in your inner ear often causes the symptoms of Meniere’s disease. Drugs called diuretics rid the body of excess fluid. By doing so, they may help reduce fluid buildup in the ear. Diuretics may make your body lose a mineral called potassium. Because of this, you may also be given supplements to take.

Treating Meniere’s symptoms

Certain drugs can help control symptoms. They include:

• Antidizziness medicines. These help relieve vertigo.

• Antinausea (also called antiemetic) medicines. These help relieve nausea and vomiting.

• Sedatives. These help you relax and sleep during a vertigo attack.

Note: Attacks often cause nausea and vomiting. So these drugs may be given in the form of a rectal suppository. This helps ensure it stays in your system even if you throw up.

Other medicines

Other drugs help reduce inner ear swelling. Some improve hearing and others add to symptom relief. If one might be right for you, your healthcare provider can tell you more about it and how it is used.

Steroid therapy

Your healthcare provider may recommend a steroid injection in your middle ear. This can decrease or eliminate the vertigo episodes. This treatment has a small risk of leaving a permanent hole in the eardrum.

Antibiotic therapy

Certain antibiotics shut down the balance portion of the inner ear. This can relieve symptoms of vertigo. The treatment is most often given in the healthcare provider’s office. It is done over a period of several weeks. Liquid antibiotic is injected directly into the middle ear. The effect of this treatment is permanent. Talk with your healthcare provider about its benefits and risks and whether it is right for you.