Ménière's Disease
Sudden attacks of spinning dizziness with hearing changes in one ear — what Ménière's disease is, why it happens, and how a consultant can help you regain control.
Ménière's disease is an inner-ear condition. It brings on episodes of severe spinning dizziness, known as vertigo.
Alongside the vertigo, you may notice fluctuating hearing, a roaring or low-pitched tinnitus, and a sense of pressure or fullness in one ear. It's thought to be linked to a build-up of fluid in the balance and hearing chambers of the inner ear. Attacks come and go, often unpredictably, and can be deeply unsettling — but the condition is very manageable once it's properly diagnosed. The aim of an assessment is to confirm it's Ménière's rather than something else, then to reduce how often and how severely the attacks strike.
Symptoms of ménière's disease.
Ménière's typically affects one ear and comes in episodes — you can feel completely well between attacks, which is part of what makes it so distinctive.
Why it happens.
The exact trigger isn't fully understood, but Ménière's is associated with excess fluid (endolymph) in the inner ear. Several things are thought to play a part or set off attacks — which is why an assessment looks carefully at your history as well as your hearing and balance.
Don't wait for it to settle.
Early assessment helps you get the right treatment sooner. See a specialist if:
Confirmed by your history, an ear examination and hearing tests.
There's no single test for Ménière's — it's diagnosed from the pattern of your symptoms together with an examination and hearing assessment. Mr Huw Jones, Consultant ENT Surgeon, listens to the history of your attacks, examines the ear and arranges hearing tests to document the fluctuating loss that's typical of the condition. Where a closer look is helpful, an endoscopic examination of the ear, nose and throat can be done at your visit. Just as importantly, the assessment rules out other causes of vertigo and one-sided hearing change, so you can be confident in the diagnosis before any treatment begins.
How ménière's disease is treated.
There's no instant cure, but Ménière's responds well to a stepped approach — we start with the gentlest measures and escalate only if attacks persist.
A full ENT examination and hearing assessment with Mr Huw Jones to confirm Ménière's, gauge the affected ear and rule out other causes of your vertigo.
Most people are managed without surgery — through diet changes (lower salt, less caffeine and alcohol), medication to ease attacks and prevent them, and a plan reviewed at follow-up.
For attacks that aren't settling with medication, steroid can be delivered directly into the affected ear to calm inner-ear inflammation. Your consultant may advise a single injection or a short course.
Seen in days — not months on a list.
A named specialist, not a junior — all the way through.
Every price published and confirmed in writing.
Seen privately, without the wait.
We bill major UK insurers directly.
Can Ménière's disease be cured? +
There's no outright cure, but it can be controlled very effectively. For most people a combination of diet changes, medication and — where needed — a steroid injection into the ear keeps attacks far less frequent and less severe. Your consultant will tailor the plan to how the condition is affecting you.
How do you tell Ménière's apart from other causes of dizziness? +
It's the pattern that gives it away — spinning vertigo with fluctuating hearing, a roaring tinnitus and a feeling of fullness in one ear. Mr Huw Jones diagnoses it from your history alongside an ear examination and hearing tests, while ruling out other causes of one-sided hearing change and vertigo so the diagnosis is sound.
Do I need to be referred before booking? +
No referral letter is needed — you can arrange an ENT assessment directly with us. The initial consultation is £200, with review appointments at £150.
What does it cost to be assessed and treated? +
An initial consultation with the consultant ENT surgeon is £200 and includes an ear examination and hearing tests. An endoscopic examination, where helpful, is £390, and an intratympanic steroid injection is £350 (a course of three is £945). The cost of any treatment is confirmed with you individually after your assessment.
Will I be able to drive with Ménière's disease? +
Sudden vertigo can make driving unsafe, and there are rules you may need to notify the DVLA about once you're diagnosed. Your consultant will talk you through what your particular pattern of attacks means for driving as part of your management plan.
Don't put up with it.
Book an assessment with a consultant and get a clear picture — and a plan.