Study Finds Poor Oral Health Increases the Risk of Meniere’s Disease
According to a recent study published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine, poor oral health may increase the risk of developing Meniere’s disease. Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can cause vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The study found that there was a significant association between poor oral health status and an increased risk of developing Meniere’s disease.
The study, conducted by researchers from Mokdong Hospital in Seoul, South Korea, examined data from 2.24 million adults who underwent oral health screening by dentists in 2003. The participants were followed up for a median of 16.7 years. The researchers found that 5.0 percent of participants developed Meniere’s disease.
The study found that there were significant associations between poor oral health status and an increased risk of Meniere’s disease. Participants with periodontitis, a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue and destroys the bone that supports teeth, had a higher risk of developing Meniere’s disease. The risk also increased with an increased number of missing teeth, with those who had 15 or more missing teeth having a higher risk of developing the condition.
However, the study also found that better oral hygiene behaviors, such as frequent tooth brushing of at least three times a day and dental scaling within one year, were associated with a lower risk of Meniere’s disease. The researchers suggest that these findings could be due to the systemic inflammation associated with periodontitis, which may significantly influence the development of Meniere’s disease.
In a subgroup analysis, the study found that periodontitis was more strongly associated with Meniere’s disease in younger subgroups and subgroups with low body mass index. The authors suggest that the systemic inflammation associated with periodontitis may have a greater impact on younger individuals and those with a lower body mass index.
The study notes in conclusion the importance of maintaining good oral health for overall health and well-being, as well as reducing the risk of Meniere’s disease. Regular dental check-ups, proper dental hygiene, and prompt treatment of gum disease may help reduce the risk of developing Meniere’s disease.
Maintaining good oral health is considered essential for overall health and well-being. Proper dental hygiene can help prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health problems. Regular brushing and flossing, as well as routine dental check-ups, are critical for maintaining good oral health. Brushing your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time can help remove plaque and food particles that can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. Flossing once a day can help remove food particles and plaque from between teeth and along the gum line. Additionally, using mouthwash can help kill bacteria and freshen breath.
A healthy diet can also help maintain good oral health. Limiting sugary and acidic foods and drinks can help prevent tooth decay and erosion. Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains can provide essential nutrients for healthy teeth and gums. Drinking plenty of water can also help keep your mouth hydrated and wash away food particles and bacteria. Finally, avoiding tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption can help reduce the risk of oral cancer and other oral health problems.
Park JH, Lee JH, Kim HJ, et al. Oral Health and Meniere’s Disease: A Population-Based Cohort Study. J Pers Med. 2022;12(1):44. Published 2022 Jan 4. doi:10.3390/jpm12010044
Help other sufferers. Do you have experience with poor oral health and the symptoms of Meniere’s? Tell us all about it in the comments box below or email Mike at meniereshelp@gmail.com
Vitamin D and Meniere’s Disease – What you should know
While all essential vitamins and minerals are important for a healthy functioning, balanced body, some vitamins are better known for their value to the immune system and some vitamins are known to help suppress the symptoms of Meniere’s disease.
Vitamin C, B12 and Magnesium are relatively well known for their benefits to ear function and Meniere’s but what about Vitamin D and Meniere’s disease?
According to studies cited on Mercola.com there is a robust and rapidly growing body of research clearly showing that vitamin D is absolutely critical for good health and disease prevention, in part due to the fact that it influences about 10 percent of all your genes.
Just one example of an important gene that vitamin D upregulates is your ability to fight infections and chronic inflammation. The whole concept behind using quality dietary supplements for Meniere’s disease is to support the immune system enough for it to deal with the inflammation causing Meniere’s symptoms.
So vitamin D would appear to be an important part of that.
It also produces over 200 anti-microbial peptides, the most important of which is cathelicidin, a naturally occurring broad-spectrum antibiotic.
Vitamin D is more than just one vitamin. It’s actually a family of nutrients that share similarities in chemical structure.
Sources of Vitamin D
In your diet, the most commonly found members are vitamin D2 and D3. The difference between D2 and D3 is, Vitamin D3 is found in food from animals while Vitamin D2 comes from plant derived foods. The best sources of Vitamin D3 is exposure to sunlight.
So if you are a vegan or living in areas that have little sunlight in winter you run a risk of vitamin D3 deficiency.
Focus on Vitamin D has only really taken off in the last 20 years. In this time, newer and more accessible technology has shown that Vitamin D deficiency is widespread.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 32% of children and adults throughout the US were vitamin D deficient
The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that 50% of children aged one to five years old, and 70% of children between the ages of 6 and 11, are deficient or insufficient in vitamin D
Researcher Dr. Holick estimates that 50% of the general population is at risk of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency
In 2015 the WHO reported that Vitamin D deficiency is thought to be a widespread public health problem globally
A strong, healthy immune system means less inflammation and less inflammation means less chance of developing the symptoms of Meniere’s disease, or any other disease.
It is widely thought that vitamin D plays an important role in the modulation of the inflammation system by regulating the production of inflammatory cytokines and immune cells, which are crucial for the pathogenesis of many immune-related diseases.
Vitamin D studies
In a study published in The Journal of Immunology in 2012 ‘How vitamin D inhibits inflammation‘ it wrote:
“Vitamin D has long been known to contribute to bone health by promoting the absorption of calcium. In recent years, much attention has been paid to its possible immune and inflammatory benefits. Low vitamin D levels have been associated with several diseases including asthma, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.
This study goes beyond previous associations of vitamin D with various health outcomes. It outlines a clear chain of cellular events, from the binding of DNA, through a specific signaling pathway, to the reduction of proteins known to trigger inflammation. Patients with chronic inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, arthritis and prostate cancer, who are vitamin D deficient, may benefit from vitamin D supplementation to get their serum vitamin D levels above 30 nanograms/milliliter”
Vitamin D also help control immune responses though cellular communication. Receptors for vitamin D are found on most types of immune cells. When vitamin D binds to cellular receptors, it sends messages to help support many different natural responses that can help keep you healthy. Sometimes, those responses can include turning on production of even more active vitamin D to increase levels right where and when it’s needed.
Vitamin D is fat-soluble—meaning that the fat in your body is how you collect and store it. So, if you’re overweight, it may mean you need more of it.
According to a 2011 study in the Journal of Investigative Medicine: “It is now clear that vitamin D has important roles in addition to its classic effects on calcium and bone homeostasis. As the vitamin D receptor is expressed on immune cells (B cells, T cells and antigen presenting cells) and these immunologic cells are all are capable of synthesizing the active vitamin D metabolite, vitamin D has the capability of acting in an autocrine manner in a local immunologic milieu.
Vitamin D can modulate the innate and adaptive immune responses. Deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity as well as an increased susceptibility to infection. As immune cells in autoimmune diseases are responsive to the ameliorative effects of vitamin D, the beneficial effects of supplementing vitamin D deficient individuals with autoimmune disease may extend beyond the effects on bone and calcium homeostasis.“
Can Vitamin D help reduce the symptoms of Meniere’s Disease
A 2018 paper published on NIH, ‘Vitamin D supplementation may improve symptoms in Meniere’s disease’ states: “In the last 4 years the authors observed a trend that correcting vitamin D deficiency in newly diagnosed cases of Meniere’s disease decreased the necessity of the ablative therapy with intratympanic gentamicin. According to their hypothesis, vitamin D supplementation may indeed have a beneficial effect in Meniere’s disease if the symptoms are caused by a local postviral autoimmune reaction. Vitamin D has a strong immunomodulatory role, one of which is the regulation of the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators”
According to study published in August 2020 in ‘Neurology’ “Taking vitamin D and calcium twice a day may reduce your chances of getting vertigo”
A 2016 case study in the Caspian Journal of internal Medicine stated that, “This study indicates that the normalization of serum vitamin D significantly reduces BPPV recurrences.”
In 1983 The Journal of Laryngology and Otology published a study: ‘Vitamin D deficiency–a new cause of cochlear deafness’. It stated, “Ten patients are reported with bilateral cochlear deafness which was associated with vitamin D deficiency. The features of these cases are discussed following an overview of the clinical aspects and diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency.
The most likely pathogenesis is localized demineralization of the cochlea resulting in secondary morphological changes. Replacement therapy resulted in unilateral hearing improvement in two of the four patients in whom the response to treatment could be assessed.
This suggests a previously unrecognized causal correlation between vitamin D deficiency and cochlear deafness. Impaired vitamin D activity may be important in the aetiology of otosclerosis, presbyacusis and the deafness associated with chronic renal failure. Vitamin D deficiency should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained bilateral cochlear deafness. It is important, as this ‘new’ metabolic type of sensorineural deafness may be reversible, and may also lead to the diagnosis of early osteomalacia before more serious generalized skeletal symptoms can occur.”
It would appear that Vitamin D is an important nutrient related to ear health, vertigo, deafness and tinnitus.
It is important to note that if you supplement vitamin D, you also need to take vitamin K2. The biological role of vitamin K2 is to help move calcium into the correct areas in your body. It also helps remove calcium from areas where it shouldn’t be, such as in your arteries and soft tissues.
Vitamin K2 deficiency is actually what produces the consequences similar to vitamin D toxicity, which includes inappropriate calcification that can lead to hardening of your arteries. The reason for this is because when you take vitamin D, your body creates more vitamin K2-dependent proteins that move calcium around in your body.
Without vitamin K2, those proteins remain inactivated, so the benefits of those proteins remain unrealized. So remember, if you take supplemental vitamin D, you’re creating an increased demand for K2.
This may have added significance for Vitamin D and Meniere’s disease as it has been suggested that excess vitamin D without K can cause tinnitus.
Would you consider yourself overweight? Studies suggest that obesity can cause issues with vitamin D deficiency regardless of intake from diet or exposure to sunlight.
Dr. Paulette Chandler, assistant professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, “Our study highlights that obesity may confer resistance to vitamin D effects.
Chandler is a co-author of the study, ‘Vitamin D reduces risk for metastatic cancer, death by 17%‘ published on the JAMA network in November 2020.
The fact that the more obese you are the less effective vitamin D is utilized in your body has been pointed out in other previous studies. The 2017 study ‘Vitamin D in Obesity‘ pointed out:
“Serum vitamin D is lower in obese people; it is important to understand the mechanism of this effect and whether it indicates clinically significant deficiency … Vitamin D is fat soluble, and distributed into fat, muscle, liver, and serum.
All of these compartments are increased in volume in obesity, so the lower vitamin D likely reflects a volumetric dilution effect and whole body stores of vitamin D may be adequate … Obese people need higher loading doses of vitamin D to achieve the same serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D as normal weight.“
The 2013 study ‘Causal Relationship between Obesity and Vitamin D Status‘ found that for every 10% increase in body-mass index, there’s a 4.2% reduction in blood levels of vitamin D. According to the authors of that particular study, obesity may in fact be a causal factor in the development of vitamin D deficiency.
Considering all of the above information, if you are overweight, have a deficiency in vitamin D and Meniere’s disease, this factor could be even more significant for you to consider.
Help other sufferers. What are your experiences with Vitamin D and Meniere’s disease? Tell us all about it in the comments box below or email Mike at meniereshelp@gmail.com
Can Meniere’s Disease be caused by Autoimmunity? And if so what can you do about it?
In October 2014 a study paper on autoimmunity and Meniere’s was published from the University of South Florida: ‘Autoimmunity as a candidate for the epiopathogenesis of Meniere’s Disease’
The study concluded:
“The findings of this study suggest that autoimmunity could be one of the pathologic mechanisms behind Meniere’s disease. Multiple autoantibodies and antigens may be involved in the autoimmune reaction.
Specific antigens that caused immune reactions with patient’s serum in Protoarray analysis can be candidates for the diagnostic biomarkers of Meniere’s disease.
Further studies with mass screening using candidate antigen-antibody reactions are needed to identify future treatment modalities and to determine the true prevalence of autoimmune pathologic mechanisms underlying Meniere’s disease.”
For a long time autoimmunity was often overlooked as a possible cause of Meniere’s symptoms in some cases. That said, it seems in recent years there is more awareness both among treating doctors and many sufferers that this may be the case, at least in a significant number of people.
In a different study it has been claimed that 6% of patients with unilateral Meniere’s disease and 16% of patients with bilateral Meniere’s disease show signs of autoimmunity.
Are the symptoms of Meniere’s a result of an autoimmune response?
It is certainly a possibility to consider for at least some sufferers.
Have you been checked for this possibility?
If not, ask your doctor for a “Functional Immune System Evaluation” . You can present the studies linked from this blog as evidence that you need to be checked.
You may think that if only 6 – 16% of sufferers show signs of autoimmunity this doesn’t prove it is the definitive cause of your symptoms. Herein lies one of the problems in finding the causes of idiopathic conditions such as Meniere’s.
Tests and studies may focus on trying to find the causative factors when we now know without doubt that there are several root causes and it can be very different in each case. Therefore such studies will always have inconclusive results. Nevertheless these findings prove useful in creating a list of possible root causes to tackle in your own particular case.
There is no one size fits all with Meniere’s and nothing is written in stone, but with knowledge and a process of elimination you can find your cause or causes and deal with them. Autoimmune factors should be on your list of possibilities to consider.
This may well lead you to other factors that are causing autoimmunity and therefore the symptoms of Meniere’s. These causes may seem to have no obvious link to Meniere’s unless you are aware of how everything is connected and how the knock on effect can mean the resulting symptoms may, at first glance, seem far removed from the initial problem.
What causes autoimmunity in Meniere’s sufferers?
Autoimmune diseases refer to problems with the acquired immune system’s reactions. In an autoimmune reaction, antibodies and immune cells target the body’s own healthy tissues by mistake and attack them. This is part of the reason irregular T-cell activity is also a suspected cause. In both cases, this has to be a result of something else triggering this response, something else at root cause making the immune system act in such a way.
When unwelcome material or an ‘intruder’ invades your body your immune system protects you. It tries to identify, kill and eliminate these unwelcome invaders . But sometimes problems with your immune system cause it to mistake your body’s own healthy cells as invaders and then repeatedly attacks them. This is called an autoimmune disease. (‘Autoimmune’ literally means immunity against the self.)
The classic sign of an autoimmune disease is inflammation or swelling. How an autoimmune disease affects you depends on what part of the body is targeted. If your immune system is attacking your inner ear then the resulting swelling is causing the symptoms you feel.
For you the sufferer, it is a matter identifying the cause or causes in your individual case and correcting it or eliminating it from your life. (see below). It is generally accepted that it is unknown what causes autoimmune diseases.
In most cases, a combination of factors is probably at work. For example, you might have a genetic predisposition to develop a disease and then, under the right conditions, an outside invader like a virus might trigger it. Below you will read how the gut is the vital link to all of this and what you can do to correct it.
Regardless, you can re-balance your immune system naturally by getting to the root cause of the autoimmune response that is ultimately resulting in your Meniere’s symptoms. Drugs are aimed at suppressing your immune response and this can result in all kinds of side effects and more poor health.
Medical doctor and New York best seller with her book ‘The Thyroid Connection’ Amy Myers, herself a ‘former‘ sufferer of autoimmune disease, generally agrees with the above statement. She says,
“There is a huge disconnect between what actually causes autoimmunity and how conventional medicine treats it. The first thing to understand about autoimmune diseases is that they are a disease of the immune system. No matter what part of your body is under siege, the culprit is your immune system. This means that in order to treat, prevent, and reverse autoimmune disease you’ll need to get your immune system back under control.
However, under our current medical system, autoimmune diseases are not recognized as diseases of the immune system as a whole. Instead they are treated as diseases of particular organs. If you have multiple autoimmune conditions, as many people do, you will see several different specialists, each of whom will likely prescribe a different medication. And, there is a good chance that none of these specialists will look at how to strengthen and support your immune system, which leads me to my next point.
In conventional medicine, the belief is that once you have an autoimmune condition, there’s nothing you can do to reverse it, only ways to manage the symptoms. While medications can be effective at reducing some of the symptoms of the disease, since they suppress the entire immune system.
In contrast, functional medicine sees the body as a whole and works on the principle that the health of one system impacts the health and function of the others. Instead of focusing on disease symptom management, we focus on supporting and strengthening the immune system by getting to the root of why the immune system went rogue in the first place.
I have been able to successfully help hundreds of patients lower and reverse antibodies, get off their harsh medications, and become symptom free.”
Doctor Myers believes there are 5 underlying causes of autoimmune disease. All five of which can be linked to Meniere’s disease and are written about elsewhere on this website and discussed at length in the book The Need for Balance – Dealing with Causes of Meniere’s
Leaky Gut 80% of your immune system originates in the gut, and you can’t have a healthy immune system without a healthy gut. See more on gut issues and Meniere’s disease here and here
Gluten Gluten contributes to autoimmune disease in three key ways: it is the primary cause of leaky gut, it is highly inflammatory, meaning it stresses your immune system and the gluten protein has a similar chemical structure to some of your body’s tissues (specifically your thyroid). See more on gluten and Meniere’s from the two links above.
Toxins Toxic molds (mycotoxins) and heavy metals such as mercury are the two main toxins Dr Myers sees in those with autoimmune conditions. You will see many articles on this blog and on the main website regarding toxins and Meniere’s. Read more on mercury and Meniere’s disease hereand also in an article on thyroid and Meniere’s disease here.
Infections There are now a number of infections, including Epstein Barr, Herpes Simplex 1 and 2, E. coli, that have been linked to autoimmune diseases.
Stress Dr Myers says, “Levels of stress-related illnesses are on the rise, and stress, both of the emotional and the physical variety, has been shown to trigger and intensify autoimmune disorders. Stress disrupts immune function through several distinct pathways. Stress is the body’s response to a threat–a wound, injury, or infection. Chronic stress (the kind we face in this day and age) leads to long term inflammation that never really shuts off, creating autoimmune disease. Once the autoimmune response is in place, immediate stress only exacerbates it.” The links between stress and Meniere’s are well known and well documented on this site and in the book ‘The Need for Balance’.
All of the above are correctable.
Having spent many years hammering the fact on this website, in emails, conversations and having written two books on the subject, that getting to the root cause or causes of Meniere’s and correcting or eliminating that cause from your life can allow you to overcome this condition completely it is nice to have such a prominent health professional singing the same tune. It is all about “root causes“.
If you’re looking to calm down an overactive immune system that continually attacks healthy body tissue, then you must address the underlying causes for cellular inflammation. Ask your doctor about tests for hidden infections like yeast, viruses or Lyme disease. Have you been checked for any food allergies and heavy metal toxicity? You may be surprised at what you find.
As mentioned above when autoimmune factors are suspected, immune suppressing drugs are usually prescribed. Apart from the fact that suppressing the immune system can obviously lead to more poor health, many come with undesirable and even dangerous side effects.
The steroid Prednisone is often used in treating Meniere’s disease.
The possible known side effects of this drug is too extensive to list in this article. But among them are: dizziness, nausea, vomiting, headache and pounding in the ears. All of which would be totally counter to what the Meniere’s patient would want. A decrease in urine, another side effect, would also be the opposite of what the Meniere’s patient needs.
Other listed possible side effects of Prednisone that could be directly damaging to a Meniere’s sufferer are:
Decreased carbohydrate and glucose tolerance
Increased requirements for insulin
Potassium loss
Sodium retention with resulting edema
Hypertriglyceridemia
Hypercholesterolemia
Adrenal insufficiency
Hyperthyroidism
Hypothyroidism
Allergic reactions
Candidiasis
Sensory disturbance
Anxiety
Prednisone is also what is known as a glucocorticoidbecause of the effects on glucose metabolism. Glucocorticoids can cause increases in blood glucose. Long term use of these steroids can result in type 2 diabetes. See more on Meniere’s and diabetes here.
Dr Myers talks about leaky gut being one of the main root causes of autoimmune disease. In this scenario, there is inflammation of the lining of the gut. This leads to a malabsorption of nutrients such as zinc, Vitamin B12, iron and magnesium. The immune system is triggered into a response. This can lead to gastrointestinal issues and many food intolerances and then autoimmune disease.
In this scenario things like gluten, bad bacteria, undigested food particles and toxic waste can leak from the inside of your intestinal wall into your bloodstream causing an immune reaction.
If this were to ultimately lead to Meniere’s symptoms then it could be said that the cause would be the inflammation within the gut. But beyond that, the inflammation in the gut has a root cause and that could be stress, toxins, drugs, pathogens or other organ malfunction.
The most common causes of leaky gut are thought to be poor diet, chronic stress, toxic overload and bacterial imbalance. All of which can be linked to Meniere’s disease.
To heal a leaky gut you would need to remove foods from your diet that damage the gut, replace them with healing foods and rebalance your gut bacteria with probiotics.
What to do about it
The immune system needs to be balanced and functioning as it should for you to be healthy and for it to deal with inflammation within your ear or anywhere else in your body. Detoxing, eating the correct food and supplementing with the appropriate quality supplements can strengthen and balance your immune system so it functions properly.
You may want to get your thyroid and endocrine systemchecked. These are two factors that are also often overlooked. Toxins in foods, drinks, beauty and skin care products and the environment are often major endocrine disruptors and estrogen mimickers that can play havoc with the body’s hormone system thus leading to dysfunctions and resulting in an autoimmune response.
Iodine deficiency is also a chronic problem according to many studies. All of these problems can have a knock on effect, weaken and cause imbalances in the immune system as a whole.
In May 2017 the WHO reported that, “Iodine deficiency is the world’s most prevalent, yet easily preventable, cause of brain damage. Universal salt iodization – the practice of adding iodine to salt – is the most cost effective way to tackle iodine deficiency disorders.”
There was a time when this iodine deficiency was recognized and iodine was added to table salt. Somewhere along the line iodine was inexplicably removed in the USA.
In countries such as Japan where iodine is plentiful naturally in the diet, they have much healthier citizens that enjoy the highest levels of longevity .
Iodine can be found in seaweed such as nori and kelp, pure natural unprocessed sea salt and in season, fresh organic cranberries. Supplementing with the purest form of Nascent Iodine has proved very beneficial to immune system function and overall health.
Autoimmunity is only one of several possible causes for you to get checked for and as stated above, can be a result in itself of a different root cause.
Among others, amalgam fillings that are leaking mercury into your body, TMJs, neck and spinal misaligments and metabolic problems are all things you should investigate and check off your list of possible causes.
All are fixable.
Just like Meniere’s itself, autoimmunity is another ‘health’ condition generally believed to have no known cause and no known cure. However, as you have read above this is not the case. Despite the fact that mainstream medicine is usually of this ‘opinion’, it is simply a case of awareness. The more you are aware, the more you know, the easier it becomes to seek out the right medical professionals and make the right lifestyle choices.
The book ‘Managing Meniere’s Disease – How to Live Symptom Free’ gives comprehensive details on how to suppress the symptoms through nutrition and allow your immune system to function as it should, how to avoid triggers and other factors that may be contributing to your condition. The Need for Balance – Dealing with the Cause of Meniere’s is a much more in depth look at all the possible root causes, how to identify them and eliminate them from your life, giving you the opportunity to overcome Meniere’s completely.
It is a message we repeat ad nauseam on Menieres Help: “It can be done, hasbeen done by thousands and isbeing done all time.” Unfortunately, it may take a quantum shift in attitudes towards Meniere’s among many treating health professionals and patients alike before we see overcoming Meniere’s as the norm. For now I will have to keep hammering away and making baby steps with the undeniable truth, and that is: You CAN overcome Meniere’s and get your life back.
Help other Meniere’s sufferers. Have you been told your Meniere’s is due to autoimmune disorder? email Mike at meniereshelp@gmail.com or tell us all about it in the comment boxes below
On May 7th 2017 an article was published by The Express newspaper online with the headline,”Ménière’s disease sufferer: Getting my life back“
In the article a British Meniere’s sufferer explained mainly how her positive attitude has helped her.
The mind can be very powerful as we can see from a positive point of view in the placebo effect with many illnesses and conversely how stress, worry and anxiety can increase the symptoms of Meniere’s.
In the Express article Kelly Boyson described how the drugs given to her did not help and how she became like prisoner in her own home for eight months.
Kelly said, “I have left-side Méniere’s rather than in both ears so for me, the first indication is losing pressure in that ear, similar to when you’re landing in a plane. Next, I can’t hear anything and then tinnitus starts. By then, my head’s spinning, I’m feeling sick, I can’t stand up, my coordination goes and I lose control of my body.
I get about two minutes’ warning before the full attack occurs. There is nothing I can do to prevent it.
I just have to let it run its course, which can be up to three hours.
There is no cure for Ménière’s, just treatments you can try to ease symptoms. After my diagnosis, I was treated with steroid injections and in November 2015, I had a grommet placed in my ear to help reduce pressure. That worked for a while until it dropped out. But nothing’s worked particularly well so I don’t take medication now.
I’ve changed the way I eat, as a low-salt diet can help reduce the amount of attacks. I also take Salovum, which is concentrated egg yolk powder, to help reduce inflammation and it seems to be working. Although I still get tinnitus, I haven’t had a severe attack for months. It’s brilliant because I feel like I’m getting my life back on track.”
Tackling the inflammation that is causing the symptoms is something discussed at length in The Need for Balance – Dealing with the Causes of Meniere’s where identifying the root cause of that inflammation and resulting Meniere’s symptoms in general then how to deal with it.
The use of Salovum and its partner product spc-flakes are made by a Swedish company. The claims are that it is a treatment for patients who suffer from various inflammatory conditions and are presumed to have a low amount of AF, therefore normalizing fluid flow.
This is of clinical significance for Meniere’s, Vertigo and Migraine. It has also been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect which was seen in studies of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) like Colitis Ulcerosa and Crohn’s disease.
What is “AF” and why is this significant to the Meniere’s sufferer?
A 2010 clinical study published in Acta Otolaryngol and listed on PubMed.gov came to the conclusion:
“Intake of antisecretory factor (AF)-inducing SPC-flakes significantly reduced vertigoin patients suffering from Ménière’s disease (MD). The positive effect may be due to a modulation of the transport of water and ions in the endolymphatic space.”
Whenever I do research into any possible cause or solution for Meniere’s (and there are several of both: see here ) I always check how many of the emails I have received from sufferers over the past 13 years mention them. In this case only one email discussed SPC-Flakes. That said it is a very useful email. Howard who lives in Japan wrote this in 2015:
Dear Menieres Help.com,
My main complaint now with Menieres is distorted visual signals. Damaged oculomotor reflex due to distension of the inner ear labryinth by endolymphatic hydrops. Oscillopsia. Dizziness when I move the head. Visual objects move to the right when I move the head to the left.
At first I thought that the previous attacks of rotational vertigo had depleted the population of vestibular hair cells to the point where I am no longer able to regain a proper oculomotor reflex. But since I sometimes seem to have some degree of improvement, and then I lose it again, this cannot be a permanent cellular defecit. I think it is better explained by a fluctuating endolymphatic volume.
It would appear that the No. 1 thing to do to prevent total loss of vestibular function when “burnout” eventually comes along, i.e., to prevent total destruction of the membranous labyrinth due to swelling of the canals, is to collapse the labyrinth back to its normal size and shape by doing either one, or both, of 2 things.
1) remove excess endolymph by attempting to reabsorb the excess fluid,
2) stop over-production of endolymph.
I think we’re more interested in 2), stopping the overproduction of endolymph. If it could be done permanently, that would have to be far, far more effective in restoring the balance.
As you know, in Sweden, it was found that when Menieres patients consumed SPC flakes for 2 or 3 months, the hydrops temporarily resolved in about half of the patients. When they stopped consuming, the symptoms returned a few weeks later, but further consumption for a few days brought things back to normal again.
Since SPC flakes up-regulates anti-secretory factor (AF) in the blood, it is clear as crystal that up-regulation of AF must be our primary therapeutic target. But not temporarily. Permanently. Further Internet research reveals that the hormone vasopressin retains water in the semicircular canals by acting via aquaporins. It is evident that if production of AF were to stop, there would be no brake on vasopressin and so the canals are bound to distend and swell. Both vasopressin and AF are apparently produced by the pituitary gland.
The pituitary gland is the part of the human body damaged most easily by background, low level radiation. So it comes as no surprise to learn that there has been a 600% increase in Ménière’s disease in Fukushima Prefecture here in Japan in the 3 years following the nuclear disaster:
I believe that this indirectly gives us a pointer to the way in which we should try to permanently resolve this insidious condition. Namely, permanently restore serum levels of AF by permanently re-balancing pituitary hormone secretions.”
Howard makes good points about the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is part of the endocrine system and both the endocrine system in general and particularly the thyroid gland (also affected by radiation) have been linked to causing Meniere’s symptoms.
I cannot state with any authority whether Salovum and SPC Flakes have helped or can help Meniere’s symptoms or not. I never personally used either during the 7 years I suffered ( I have been free of Meniere’s since 2012 – read my story here ) and from 13 years of correspondence with sufferers I have not received any reports, either positive or negative.
Salovum is now available in the UK on prescription and SK Flakes can be purchased in the US.
Whether this treatment is legit or not, whether the results are real or placebo, as suggested by some, the fact is it is a ‘treatment’. If this treatment can eliminate vertigo then it should be taken seriously and must be worth trying.
Is it possible that Salovum or SPC-Flakes Stop Vertigo in Meniere’s Sufferers?
It seems possible given the above but there are simply not enough first hand accounts known to Meniere’s Help to comment more than that.
Help other Meniere’s sufferers. Have you had any experience with Salovum or SK Flakes? email Mike at meniereshelp@gmail.com or tell us all about it in the comments box below.
Is there a role for manganese in either the treatment or as a causative factor with Meniere’s Disease? Some nutritionists and doctors specializing in cellular nutrition may believe it can help relieve symptoms while most ENT doctors will probably know nothing about it or dismiss it. If it doesn’t show up on peer reviewed studies or papers in PubMed then most doctors may dismiss it, regardless of any other reports or evidence.
Timothy Haine MD, who writes on the internet about Meniere’s, dismisses the use of manganese as just another in his long list of “placebo effect”, claiming there are zero peer reviewed studies published on PubMed. This is the man who refers to the bioflavonoids from lemon and vitamin C in Lipoflavonoid as a, “mysterious substance” as he consigns that too to his list of ‘Placebo’ effect probabilities.
Both vitamin C and flavonoids combined with other nutrients have been used with great success over the years for Meniere’s and to so flippantly dismiss their successful use as “placebo” shows a lack of understanding, or willful ignorance as to the importance of both reducing inflammation and improving micro-circulation through nutrition in Meniere’s disease. It also shows a complete disdain and ignorance of the importance of nutrition in general. Shocking perhaps, but unsurprising considering the almost total reliance on synthetic drugs in mainstream medicine.
The easy answer to this attitude is to ask the question, how many Meniere’s sufferers has mainstream medicine actually “cured”? Moreover, how many Meniere’s sufferers can live even partially symptom free through synthetic drugs? Ask a medical doctor how much they studied nutrition in their years of medical school and you will be lucky if they answer that it was more than one afternoon. Which drugs are used for treating what condition will be well known or easily accessible yet a significant understanding of nutritional biology, the very foundation of human health, is often sadly lacking. Many drugs block or prevent natural biological processes while the right nutrition can help the body balance these processes and correct them when there is dysfunction.
In the experiences of Meniere’s Help readers who have contacted us over 12 years, for many the right nutrition has helped them stay symptom free and lipoflavonoid is best used in conjunction with other supplements ( See more about supplementation here )
Unfortunately the testimonials of real sufferers who are the very people who experience every symptom, pain, relief and cure, are too often discarded as mere “hearsay”. The fact is that very few clinical studies will ever be done to prove the effectiveness or curative powers of anything natural because this cannot be patented and profited from by the huge pharmaceutical corporations. Research into synthetic drugs will receive multi million dollar funding simply because these drugs can be patented and profited from.
With all this said, regarding peer reviewed studies on PubMed that Haine bases his opinions on, there is indeed a south American study (translated from Spanish) indexed: ‘Efficacy of the treatment of Ménière’s disease with oligoelements’
Oligoelements are trace elements including manganese and magnesium.
The 2003 study published in the Anales of Otorrinolaringologicols Ibero-Americanos stated:
“There are significant differences of better results in Ménières treated with olygoelements.”
The study did a split test of 68 Meniere’s sufferers. 34 were treated with drugs and 34 treated with oligoelements.
The reported results were: “In the descriptive statistics we find better results in the Ménières treated with olygoelements than in those that were not treated”
Manganese was used in this Meniere’s Disease study
[Oligo Elements are bioavailable forms of trace minerals that can be rapidly absorbed. Oligo Elements unlock the various metabolic processes which generate functional or infectious diseases. These bioavailable elements work by normalizing enzyme and hormonal functions in order to regulate homeostasis (balance) in the body.]
There is little to no literature about manganese deficiency being related to Meniere’s directly, so why might it help?
Doctor Laurent Bannock. author of The Clinical Nutrition Desk Reference recommends manganese in his supplementation regimen for Meniere’s and states that , “Deficiencies have been linked to ear problems”
Manganese is a component of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) which has been shown to be a powerful antioxidant that fights inflammation. Reducing inflammation by supporting the immune system with powerful antixodants is one of the main functions of the supplement regimen talked about on Meniere’s Help that has worked so well for well over a decade for thousands of sufferers.
Manganese plays an important role in a number of physiologic processes as a constituent of multiple enzymes and an activator of other enzymes.
Manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is the principal antioxidant enzyme in the mitochondria. Because mitochondria consume over 90% of the oxygen used by cells, they are especially vulnerable to oxidative stress. The superoxide radical is one of the reactive oxygen species produced in mitochondria. MnSOD catalyzes the conversion of superoxide radicals to hydrogen peroxide, which can be reduced to water by other antioxidant enzymes. [Mitochondria is found in large numbers in most cells, in which the biochemical processes of respiration and energy production occur. Often known as the powerhouse of the cells]
Although manganese deficiency is not common, deficiency has been linked with several serious diseases such as osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes and epilepsy but not directly linked to Meniere’s. It has however been linked to some symptoms of Meniere’s and other conditions with links to Meniere’s.
Conversely, at very high levels of exposure manganese can be toxic, and has been linked to several conditions including Parkinson’s Disease and thyroid dysfunctions.
With that in mind, the importance of balanced nutrition rather than stand alone supplementation can not be underestimated. As vitamins, minerals, trace elements and enzymes all work in synergy it is important that the balance is right.
Comprehensive supplementation
Dr Tim Wood Ph.D explains in ‘Comprehensive Supplementation Delivers What Stand-Alones’ Can’t‘:
“Many people approach nutritional supplementation in piecemeal fashion.
For instance, some use stand-alone vitamin E products to promote cardiovascular health. Others buy stand-alone calcium supplements to protect against osteoporosis. Some use vitamin C and zinc to reduce cold and flu symptoms. And still others change their supplement regime every month, according to the latest magazine articles they have read.
None of these approaches –focusing on one or two essential nutrients and ignoring all the others–is satisfactory. In fact, they run counter to the most basic principles of nutrition and health.
Our bodies, and each of the cells that compose them, are complex, living systems comprising diverse structures (organs and organelles) that carry out a multitude of integrated biological functions.
At the cellular level, membranes, mitochondria, ribosomes, and the nucleus work in concert to regulate the conveyance of materials into and out of the cell; metabolize carbohydrates and fats; synthesise proteins; and guide cellular growth, division, and differentiation.
Similarly, our bodies’ organs have distinct but integrated functions. Our digestive, circulatory, nervous, skeletal, and immune systems collaborate to allow us to acquire and break down foods, absorb and transport nutrients, detoxify metabolites, and fight infections.
All these processes, at both the cellular and whole-body levels, are intimately linked in the web of interactions we call “life.”
The well-being of the whole depends on the integrity and immutable function of all the parts; and in this sense, health is truly holistic.
As complex, integrated systems, our cells and our bodies require a full comlement of essential vitamins and minerals to survive and remain healthy.
The B vitamins–thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folic acid and cyanocobalamin–for example, are essential to cellular metabolism (energy usage and the synthesis of proteins, DNA, and other biological compounds).
We require vitamin C for the synthesis of connective tissues.
We need vitamin D, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus for normal bone development. Copper, zinc, manganese and selenium are necessary for peak enzyme structure and function.
The list goes on, but the salient point is this: All the essential nutrients are needed all the time.
Withhold just one nutrient, or provide too much or too little of it, and a given aspect of metabolism slows.
And because our bodies are integrated systems, when one component or function slows, our overall health deteriorates.
We also need a diverse array of antioxidants; that is, molecules that neutralize free radicals and prevent oxidative damage.
Vitamins C and E are the best known of the dietary antioxidants.
But for complete, long-term protection, we need broader antioxidant defenses. In other words, we require a more extensive spectrum of antioxidant compounds, some of which are water-soluble, some fat-soluble, some that neutralize one class of free radicals (e.g., hydroxyl anions), and some that neutralize another (e.g., singlet oxygen).
Furthermore, various antioxidants accumulate in and protect different parts of the body.
Vitamin C is thought to accumulate in the lens of the eye where it affords protection from cataracts. Two carotenoids–beta-carotene and lutein–accumulate in the skin and protect it from the sun’s damaging rays. Lutein also accumulates in the macula of the eye, reducing oxidative stress and the risk of macular degeneration. Vitamin E is absorbed into cell membranes, protecting them from oxidative stress. Coenzyme Q10 protects mitochondria (the powerhouses of the cell) from free-radical damage. And some bioflavonoids are thought to be important in protecting the integrity of blood vessels.
In short, comprehensive antioxidant protection requires that we consume not only vitamins C and E, but also a full spectrum of antioxidant molecules, all of which are essential for long-term health.
In summary, then, our bodies’ cells are complex, integrated living systems requiring all the essential vitamins, antioxidants and minerals–in adequate and balanced amounts–to survive and thrive.
Provide just one of the essential nutrients in insufficient amounts, or provide less than broad-spectrum antioxidant protection, and cellular function declines and our overall health deteriorates.
These fundamental principles provide the basis for nutritional approaches to long-term health.
Importantly, they apply both to diet and supplement use. The importance of a balanced and varied diet is self-evident. We know that it is important to eat a diet that supplies a wide array of nutrient-dense foods; a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and one that supplies all the essential micro-nutrients, including the right amounts and kinds of carbohydrate, protein, and fat.
It is just as important to take a comprehensive and balanced approach to nutrient supplementation.
Research has shown that diets in industrialized countries generally fail to supply even minimal levels of many of the essential vitamins, antioxidants and minerals.
These deficits are particularly worrisome for vitamins A, E and B6, as well as for folate, calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper.
Furthermore, we now know that advanced levels of many of the essential nutrients–including vitamin E, vitamin D, and selenium–far in excess of Recommended Daily Allowances, are required to support long-term health.
As such, supplementing our diets with just one or two of the essential nutrients is not enough.
Each of us needs to take a complete vitamin, antioxidant, and mineral supplement as the foundation for our supplementation program.
The nutritional products you choose should provide all the essential nutrients. They should comprise a complete range of cofactors (e.g., choline) and a diverse group of antioxidants (including carot-enoids and bioflavonoids) –nutrients that have not traditionally been considered essential but which are now known to be required for long-term health.
Furthermore, a comprehensive supplement must provide the nutrients in balanced amounts and at doses shown to promote lifelong health.
None of us would think of limiting our diets to just broccoli and green tea just because we have read that both of these foods can help reduce the risk of cancer.
Common sense forbids it. Apply this same common sense and the fundamental principles of nutrition in choosing your nutritional supplements. Choose a high quality, comprehensive nutritional supplement as the basis of your program. Your health depends on it.”
Although there is no direct link to Meniere’s from manganese deficiency, there have been studies showing links to ear problems and the use of manganese as part of supplement regimen is known to be beneficial. Manganese may not hold the same importance to Meniere’s as Magnesium but as an important part of balanced dietary intake it should not be underestimated.
Dietary changes and supplementation is not thought of as either a treatment or a cure. People can live completely or almost completely symptom free as a result of the strengthening of their immune system through supplementation and a healthy balanced diet free of health damaging processed and junk foods.
Identifying and eliminating the individual root cause and triggers is the only way to actually cure yourself from Meniere’s completely. This is something we have been focusing on for the past 7 years and continue to do so.
It can be done, has been done and is being done all the time.
Help other Meniere’s sufferers. Have you used Manganese supplementation with Meniere’s or have you been tested and found to be deficient? Tell us all about it in the comments boxes below or email Mike at meniereshelp@gmail.com
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