Meniere’s Disease is a very disturbing illness, presenting patients with hearing loss, pressure in the ear, tinnitus, severe imbalance and vertigo. Vertigo is the most dramatic and distressing symptom of Meniere’s; it is described as a sudden loss of normal balance or equilibrium. The room may suddenly begin to spin and rotate at high speed. Focusing is difficult, and if the vertigo continues, nausea and vomiting may occur. Vertigo is commonly caused by acute labyrinthitis, benign positional vertigo, delayed symptom of head injury, or result of cervical spine problems.

Hearing loss typically fluctuates with hearing being worse some days than others. The hearing loss in Meniere’s may lead to severe permanent hearing loss and deafness in the affected ear. People with Meniere’s Disease report that tinnitus may be variable and often worsen before an attack of vertigo. Tinnitus is often described as a motor-like whirring noise present only in the ear with the hearing loss.