Meniere’s Disease DNA Testing – Looking For Causes
There has been far too little “official” research into root causes and cures for Meniere’s Disease. In this corporate profit driven age the focus is always on “treatments” for the resulting symptoms. But we saw this today on Medstar Television’s website and had to spread the word. WRITTEN BY KRISTI RUNYON MONDAY, 15 MARCH 2010 11:08
Meniere’s Disease DNA Testing
Looking for a Cause
The exact cause of Meniere’s disease isn’t known. Researchers believe the symptoms may occur when fluid from one part of the inner ear mixes with another inner ear fluid. Rick Friedman, M.D., Ph.D., Neurotologist with the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, CA, says some patients report having a cold, sinus infection or some other illness prior to the onset of symptoms.
Meniere’s also tends to run in families, so there may be some genetic link to the disease. Researchers at the House Ear Institute are now looking for people with Meniere’s disease who are willing to submit saliva samples for DNA analysis.
Investigators will compare the genome from Meniere’s patients against those without the disease and look for differences in DNA. Friedman says finding those differences may provide clues that lead to a better understanding of Meniere’s and point the way for more effective treatment.
Currently, more than 700 patients have volunteered for the study. Patients from around the world may participate. For information or to find out how to become involved in the Meniere’s DNA study, call the House Ear Institute at (213) 483-4431, or visit their website at http://www.hei.org/research/genetics/menieres.html
Meniere’s disease and acoustic Neuroma can have similar symptoms
Meniere’s disease or acoustic neuroma? During the diagnosis process for Meniere’s disease, eventually you should have an MRI. One purpose of the MRI is to discount any tumors growing in areas that could cause the same or similar symptoms to Meniere’s,
There is a type of non cancerous tumor called ‘acoustic neuroma’.
What is an acoustic neuroma?
An acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) is a benign tumor that develops on the balance (vestibular) and hearing, or auditory (cochlear) nerves leading from your inner ear to the brain.
The pressure on the nerve from the tumor may cause hearing loss, imbalance and tinnitus.
In rare cases, it is possible for an acoustic neuroma to grow large enough to compress the brainstem and become life-threatening.
In the United States, approximately 2,500-3,000 cases of the most common type of acoustic neuroma are diagnosed each year.
Also called: Acoustic neurilemmoma, Acoustic neurinoma, Auditory tumor, Vestibular schwannoma
The tumor usually grows slowly. As it grows, it presses against the hearing and balance nerves. At first, you may have no symptoms or mild symptoms.
Acoustic neuroma can be difficult to diagnose, because as stated above the symptoms are similar to those of Meniere’s and other ear conditions.
If the tumor stays small, you may only need to have it checked regularly. If you do need treatment, surgery and radiation are options.
If the tumors affect both hearing nerves, it is often because of a genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis.
The tumor can also eventually cause numbness or paralysis of the face. If it grows large enough, it can press against the brain and becoming life-threatening.
Possible connection with acidosis and Meniere’s disease
By Jean Perrins
Summary:
“There is currently inconclusive scientific proof as to the cause of Meniere’s disease, but all of the clients in my clinic have responded to alkaline, ionized water. That points a finger at dehydration. It makes sense because inflammation caused by acidosis and dehydration can cause tissues to swell. Some evidence points to middle ear infection, syphilis, head injury, viral illness, respiratory infection, stress, fatigue, use of OTC and prescription medications, allergies, smoking, alcohol use and genetic factors. All of the above creates acidity in the body with the exception of genetic factors which only govern 35 percent of what is going on. The other 65 percent is within our power to change.
I will continue to offer alkaline, ionized water to Meniere’s sufferers to see if they all respond to the alkaline, ionized water. It is a very specific kind of water, made in a machine that hooks up to your kitchen faucet. It changes the tap water into alkaline, super-oxygenated, super hydrating, high antioxidant water that rids the body of free radicals, free radical damage and toxins. It actually restores the body to its most natural pH, which is near neutral. Most importantly, it stops the dizziness, nystagmus and vomiting in its tracks.”
Dehydration has been linked to drop attacks and is thought of a trigger for Meniere’s in general.
Alkaline, ionized water helps to restore the body’s pH balance and thus symptoms that occur because this balance is lost, return to normal. If you are plagued with this debilitating condition, you may want to try adjusting your body pH.
However on the flip side, a 1976 study published in the Journal of laryngology and otology suggested the opposite.
Alkalosis is a condition in which the body fluids have excess base (alkali). This is the opposite of excess acid (acidosis).
Acid-base equilibrium in Meniere’s disease
57 patients suffering from Meniere’s disease were examined: metabolic alkalosis was found in 39 and metabolic acidosis in 4.
Meniere patients found in alkalosis were given acidifying drugs to normalize their acid-base equilibrium. Such treatment proved effective in preventing acute cochleo-vestibular crises and in improving tinnitus and deafness (in the fluctuating stage). On the interruption of treatment symptoms reappeared.
“However in conclusion the authors wrote: The physiological-pathological significance of metabolic alkalosis in Meniere’s disease still remains unclear and, consequently, this can be considered merely a predisposing factor in endolymphatic hydrops.”
So it would seem the imbalance of electrolytes either way can be present in Meniere’s. The level of significance in either acidosis or alkalosis in terms of cause is unclear.
However it is clear that dehydration is a trigger and acidosis is known to cause or contribute to disease states.
pH balance is important and acidic water/food can be a problem. Squeezing Lemon or lime into water creates an alkaline balance inside the body. Even cancer cells do not like an alkaline environment.
Noble prize Winner Dr. Otto H Warburg , who is credited with discovering the real cause of cancer, has found that the root cause of cancer is oxygen deficiency. Oxygen deficiency leads to an acidic state in the human body. Dr. Warburg also found that cancer cells are anaerobic (do not breathe oxygen) and cannot survive in the presence of high levels of oxygen, as found in an alkaline state.
“All normal cells have an absolute requirement for oxygen, but cancer cells can live without oxygen – a rule without exception. Deprive a cell 35% of its oxygen for 48 hours and it may become cancerous.”
Our diet plays a vital role in maintaining proper pH levels in the body. PH balance is the balance of acid and alkaline in all fluids and cells throughout your body. Your body must balance the blood’s pH levels at a slightly alkaline level of 7.365 in order to survive. Unfortunately, the typical American diet consists primarily of toxic and acid-forming foods like processed sugars, refined grains, genetically modified organisms etc. This leads to unhealthy acidic pH.
An imbalanced pH can interrupt cellular activities and functions. Excessively acidic pH can lead to many serious health problems such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and heartburn. If you keep your body in an acidic state for a long period of time, it can drastically accelerate aging. Robert O. Young in The pH Miracle, says, that most health problems arise from being acidic. This is because parasites, bad bacteria, viruses, and candida overgrowth thrive in acidic environments. But an alkaline environment neutralizes bacteria and other pathogens.
With this information in hand it may not be too far fetched that somewhere along the line during your onset of Meniere’s symptoms, dehydration, diets that cause acidosis and therefore acidic cells may contribute significantly to your problems.
Why your pH balance is important.
Acidosis is caused by an overproduction of acid in the blood or an excessive loss of bicarbonate from the blood (metabolic acidosis), or by a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood that results from poor lung function or depressed breathing (respiratory acidosis).
This is interesting because when a Meniere’s patient goes to an ENT clinic in Japan, they will be rushed to the front of the queue and placed on a intravenous drip with a bicarbonate solution in it.
Metabolic acidosis is a serious electrolyte disorder characterized by an imbalance in the body’s acid-base balance. Metabolic acidosis has three main root causes: increased acid production, loss of bicarbonate, and a reduced ability of the kidneys to excrete excess acids.
This was originally posted in 2009. Now in 2020 I can say I have heard very little about this since. I am not dismissive of anything but it has to be said we have been shown very little evidence of acidosis itself being a major factor in the symptoms of Meniere’s.
However, given metabolic acidosis may have several connections to imbalances and disorders that have been suggested to be connected to Meniere’s symptoms, perhaps it is another possible factor that has been overlooked thus far.
Can L-lysine reduce the symptoms of Meniere’s Disease?
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Anti-viral treatments and L-lysine for Meniere’s disease
One of the many possible root causes of Meniere’s disease is thought to be viral in origin.
Because of the relative success of various anti-viral treatments in some people this belief has held ground over many years.
If you have ever had a cold sore, the virus can show up in your blood test, so the study done in Hokkaido Japan showing that high numbers of Meniere’s sufferers have this present appears slightly flawed.
That said, viral infections are a possible cause to check for and rule out. It does have to be said that at least some people contact Meniere’s Help and say Valtrex has helped them reduce their symptoms.
The same cane be said of L-lysine.
L-Lysine Study: Recovery of Hearing in Meniere’s Disease after Antiviral Treatment
According to a study published in the American Journal of Otolaryngology published in 2014, ‘Recovery of Hearing in Meniere’s Disease after Antiviral Treatment,’“Out of thirty one Meniere’s patients hearing was improved in twelve and not improved in nineteen of those patients.
Complete control of vertigo was achieved in those patients with improved hearing. It may be important to note that the duration of Meniere’s in the group with hearing improvement was shorter (2.4 years) than the group with no improvement (5.5 years).”
Valtrex (valacyclovir) -anti viral medicine
Valtrex (valacyclovir) is an antiviral drug. It slows the growth and spread of the herpes virus to help the body fight the infection. Valtrex will not cure herpes and will not prevent you from spreading the virus to other people. However, this medicine can lessen the symptoms of an infection.
Moreover, Valtrex may also harm your kidneys. This effect is increased when you also use certain other medicines, including: antivirals, chemotherapy, injected antibiotics, medicine for bowel disorders, medicine to prevent organ transplant rejection, injectable osteoporosis medication, and some pain or arthritis medicines (including aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, and Aleve).
Valtrex or valacyclovir is what is known as purine nucleoside class of drug. Purine nucleosides are antiviral agents that have selective activity against herpes simplex virus types 1 (cold sores) and 2 (genital herpes) and varicella zoster virus (chicken pox).
The purine nucleoside molecule is converted to a monophosphate by viral thymidine kinases. The monophosphate is then converted to diphosphate and then into a triphosphate form by cellular enzymes.
The triphosphate form blocks the replication of viral DNA by inhibiting viral DNA polymerase and terminating the growing viral DNA chain.
Other drugs may interact with valacyclovir, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.
Possible side effects of Valtrex include:
confusion, aggression, feeling shaky or unsteady
hallucinations
problems with speech
a seizure (convulsions)
kidney problems–little or no urination, painful or difficult urination, swelling in your feet or ankles, feeling tired or short of breath.
fever, pale skin;
unusual bleeding (nosebleeds, bleeding gums)
red or pink urine, little or no urination
red spots on the skin (not related to herpes or chickenpox)
feeling weak or tired
stomach pain, bloody diarrhea, vomiting
swelling in your face, hands, or feet
More common side effects are:
nausea, stomach pain
headache
rash
tired feeling
Perhaps a much safer natural alternative to Valtrex and other synthetic anti-viral drugs, and one with little to no known side effects is L-Lysine.
Using L-lysine for Meniere’s Disease
L-Lysine is a natural essential amino acid that the body uses to build proteins, the same protein building block that helps treat cold sores and can also help fight cancer.
In fact L-Lysine also benefits the brain and gut. Gut issues are also linked to Meniere’s disease. Low lysine levels have been found in people with Parkinson’s, hypothyroidism, kidney disease, asthma, and depression.
L-lysine is an essential amino acid, meaning it is necessary for human health, but the body cannot make it. You have to get L-lysine from food or supplements.
Foods high in L-lysine include:
meats
sea food
eggs
yogurt
legumes
potatoes
tomatoes
beets
avocado
Spirulina also has high amounts of lysine.
Viruses need arginine – another amino acid – to reproduce, but several studies have found that l-lysine blocks arginine activity. This can help prevent viruses spreading, or reduce the length of infections.
L-lysine is known to be particularly effective at tackling the virus that causes cold sores, herpes simplex 1, so could it also help with viral ear infections?
There’s an increasing amount of anecdotal evidence that taking l-lysine can help relieve the symptoms of Meniere’s disease such as vertigo, tinnitus, or pain and pressure in the inner ear.
The evidence may be “anecdotal” but do not let that discredit the possibility that it may help. Anything helping any health condition that is natural will always be labelled “anecdotal” because giant pharmaceutical companies will never pay for test or studies.
Nature cannot be patented so there is no chance on monopolizing the market. The big money for studies, trials and tests will only go to pharmaceuticals that can be patented. This is the way the medical “industry” works.
If either valtrex and other anti viral medications or L-lysine work in a Meniere’s patient then that would suggest that indeed, in this particular case a virus is persistently present.
This would mean the regular use of either valtrex or L-lysine would be needed. Chose wisely which one you would use.
Bottom line, it is an elimination process when trying to find your individual root cause and dealing with it. When considering possible causes of your Meniere’s symptoms herpes should be one of the several possible root causes checked for.
Neurocranial restructuring for Meniere’s disease and vertigo
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Neurocranial Restructuring, also known as NCR is a treatment that has been around for well over a decade now and is a powerful therapy in physical medicine.
NCR is similar to cervical spine chiropractic treatment in that it concentrates on the muscular skeletal aspect of the body as an holistic solution to Meniere’s disease or vertigo.
Neurocranial Restructuring is a manipulative craniosacral procedure that works directly on the primary cause of neuro-musculoskeletal dysfunction – a misaligned skull.
Like an earthquake, NCR unlocks the binding pattern in the skeletal system and causes the body to shift into its original and optimal design: head, neck and spine in proper alignment.
By correcting the causes of dysfunction, rather than just treating symptoms, like pain, NCR produces permanent, cumulative changes to the skull, spine, pelvis and nervous system.
Consequently, unlike other physical medicine techniques where you need maintenance visits for lasting treatment effects, each new NCR series takes you to a new level of functioning. As treatment progresses, life gets better and better.
We had one gentleman this week who combined NCR and supplementation. He was so happy that he requested that we put some information on the website, “even if helps just one person” to quote him.
While it is true many people are living symptom free from strengthening their immune system with the correct quality supplements and this allows our own immune system to take care of the inflammation causing the build of fluid in the inner ear.
It is neither a cure nor a treatment. If you have Meniere’s as a result of skeletal muscular problems in the back and neck area etc then NCR (seen in this video) may actually tackle your root cause.
Around the 6 minute mark there is a patient who had Meniere’s Disease and Vertigo. In this video it mentions:
All of these have been are often claimed to have a correlation with Meniere’s Disease from different sources.
NCR is reported to allow patients with many conditions come off of medication after years of reliance of painkilling drugs.
Neurocranial Restructuring was created by an American, Doctor Dean Howell. His website states: “In natural medicine, there are three modes of treatment: 1) nutrition, environment, and lifestyle; 2) detoxification; 3) musculoskeletal.” A mantra that very much echoes similarly to what we have been saying at Meniere’s Help for 16 years.
Here is an excellent video about a unique Neurocranial Restructuring (NCR) method. You may find it worth investigating, especially if you have sinus trouble or persistent slight tinnitus that won’t go away despite living otherwise free of all the other symptoms.
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