Tag: Sinuses

 

 

 

If you have been diagnosed with having Meniere’s, then you have probably heard the term “endolymphatic hydrops”.

 

 ‘Endolymph’ is the fluid that can be found in the labyrinth of the inner ear. In study’s done in 2001 it was concluded that the inner ear has a lymphatic drainage system connected to the lymph nodes close by in the neck.

 

The lymphatic system is the body’s drainage system.  It is a complex network of vessels throughout the body that is designed to drain fluid from the tissues of the body and return the fluid to the circulatory system. The lymphatic system is also an integral part of the immune system.

 

If there is a build up of fluid inside the ear causing hydrops (inflammation or swelling) then it would make perfect sense to assume taking action to help the fluid drain away would reduce or relieve the symptoms that result from this excess fluid. After all the whole concept of an endolymphatic shunt is ‘drain’ the excess fluid away.  Is it necessary to have such invasive surgery or can this fluid be drained into the lymphatic system as it should be through other means?

 

 In the ‘Compendium of Dr Vodder’s Manual Lymph Drainage’  Renato Kasseroller is quoted as saying in relation to Meniere’s Disease:

 

 

I have serious personal doubts over the claim, “After about two weeks 2-3 sessions per week are enough. The attacks will become less frequent and less severe.” I can find no studies showing this and more importantly in my eyes I have seen no evidence from the thousands of sufferers who have contacted Meniere’s Help in the past.

 

That said, if I  have learnt one thing in my years of support work and research it is to not discount anything off hand. Just because nobody is talking about it, just because I cannot find studies, it doesn’t mean it is not a valid treatment option. There are plenty of solutions to Meniere’s disease that we spoke of and were laughed at, discounted or attacked in the early years of Meniere’s Help. Now I see them spoken of commonly in online support groups and even by medical professionals.

 

So with that said, MLD may have some very beneficial  effects and provide relief to  the sufferer.

 

It is claimed that scientific studies have proven that the immune system is supported and even boosted as a result of receiving regular MLD treatments.  A sluggish lymphatic system increases the chance of chronic illness and disease.

 

In addition to helping relieve Meniere’s, It is also claimed that MLD treatments can relieve tinnitus and sinusitis . Tinnitus is one symptom of Meniere’s and the sinuses are an important factor in many sufferers.

 

Among the emails sent to Meniere’s help from sufferers over the past 13 years, I could only find one that mentions Lymphatic drainage therapy or MLD and in this person’s case it didn’t prove successful.

 

 

So I went online to see if I could find anecdotal evidence from sufferers, either good or bad.

 

The first case I found  was a lady who claimed she had reversed the symptoms of Autoimmune Inner ear Disorder (AIED) including regaining her hearing. In addition to AIED she also had several other conditions and had this to say:

 

After one year, I returned for a hearing test. My left ear was completely normal. I could hear in my right ear at 25 decibels and could distinguish words at 98%. I continue to have mild tinnitus in the right ear.

At two years, I have maintained the improvement. The downside is that I find I must continue the lymphatic drainage therapy to maintain the improvement—although on a greatly reduced schedule. And, insurance won’t pay for it.”

I trawled the FB Meniere’s groups to see if anyone was commenting about Manual Lymphatic drainage. I found a few posts but not many comments. The comments were mixed in terms of results:

One post showed a video regarding a self MLD technique (see video below). Some comments on this post were:

“ Just gave it a shot while I was watching it. First up, I did feel a relief of pressure in my ears. Prior to starting I had a lot of pressure but low level dizziness. The pressure seems to have reduced but dizziness has increased a lot.”

“I tried it and it took a lot of pressure off my ears they don’t feel as full and my tinnitus has eased off a little And my head doesn’t feel as foggy.”

“I have, for the past year or so. I use it whenever my ears feel too full. It seems to help.”

FB Comments regarding MLD therapy on other posts:

“I already get MLD for a lymph condition I have in my arms and legs. No help for my MD.“

“I tried it and had terrible headache might Ave just been a coincidence.”

From Menieres disease UK forum:

“About a month ago I entered the best vestibular health I have ever had (with Vitamin supplements, massage, osteopathy, low salt diet and manual lymphatic drainage)”

The Lymphatic system drains and filters lymph circulating around the body. Unwanted contaminants are cleansed and clean fluid re-enters the blood stream. Primary lymphoid organs include the thymus, bone marrow and fetal liver.

Bone marrow and the thymus are vital to the immune system. Dysfunction in the thymus leads to problems with T-cell regulation. T-cell regulation has been linked to Meniere’s disease. Read more on T-cells and Meniere’s here.

If lymphatic fluid, lymph, is not drained and filtered properly it will re-enter the blood stream contaminated. Its primary re-entry point is in the base of the neck on the left.  If contaminants are not drained they will accumulate locally around the body and can cause states of dis-ease.

Could the endolymphatic sac be one of these accumulation points?

Could the constant elevated immune response to that accumulation of contaminants in the endolymphatic sac be what results in Meniere’s symptoms? Could the fluctuations in symptoms be a result of partial drainage at times and more accumulation and blockage at others? Could natural remission be a result of enough of these contaminants being drained properly at that time?

After all it is believed that approximately one-third of Meniere’s disease cases seem to be of an autoimmune origin. It is generally accepted that blockage or over production of endolymph within the ear is the cause of hydrops. If, as studies show the inner ear has a drainage system to the lymph nodes then ‘drainage’, or the lack of it, would seem an obvious candidate for cause and treatment.

It would make a lot of sense, and something to consider despite the somewhat hypothetical nature of the questions.

You can look at all science and possibilities but the simple fact that if there is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the inner ear and manipulative massage can help drain that fluid away then pressure should reduce within the ear.

In theory and from the claims of therapists who practice MLD it would make perfect sense that this could help reduce symptoms. But as yet we have very little evidence of this available in the way of first hand accounts from sufferers.

MLD is a specialized technique but you can also practice self lymphatic drainage massage. Watch the video below for self massage for the ear.

(see comments from FB above regarding this video)

Some comments on youtube under this video:

“this worked great!!! i first boiled a pot of water and let the steam cover my face and ear for 5 min allowing the steam to open things up a bit then followed massage techniques on this video, (doing 2 rounds of the massages in one evening).. My ear was feeling full and had tinnitus.. ALL has cleared up!! AND tinnitus gone!!! Thanks so much for posting this video :))”

“Absolutely amazing! I was able to clear my clogged ear by following your instructions.”

“It worked for me! I get tinnitus because of stress and tension in the neck area, and this definitely helped a lot with that.”

“This worked for me! I can hear much better now. Thanks!”

“Thanks, now I’m not dizzy anymore. My ear was bothering me because of my allergies. Now, if I can only stop my ears from buzzing.”

There are many more comments, many positive, some negative and some moronic. None actually mention ‘Meniere’s‘, but several mention sinuses and tinnitus.

The video below is not directly related to the lymphatic system, but claims this technique can help reduce tinnitus headache, vertigo and sinus congestion. Perhaps by combining the two techniques in these videos you can find some quick relief from your symptoms in times of increased pressure.

NOTE: It would be well worth reading the comments under this video on youtube for advice and perspective and some less positive remarks. It seems technique is important.  You could make things worse if you pull too hard, but below is a small selection of the many positive comments.

Not a cure for Meniere’s and highly unlikely to be a permanent fix for tinnitus related to Meniere’s. However, if this can give relief when allergies and sinuses are increasing your symptoms, it is well worth trying. Strangely enough, there is certainly more positive feedback found regarding this odd little trick than for MLD.

“absolutely brilliant. Suffering with Migraines and vertigo for yrs and now I feel much better.”

“My ear crackled or popped, it did not hurt at all. Immediately my sinus’ started draining! I always have thick drainage in my throat, constantly clearing it… NOTHING is hanging back there for me to clear! This is freaking incredible.”

“Vertigo is the worst thing ever! Used the techniques and stopped it!”

“I haven’t been able to really breathe through my left nostril for years. My sinuses are terrible. It worked almost instantly! Thank you!”

“I’m a truck driver and have had tinnitus for some time. I tried this technique and it calmed the tinnitus in my right ear almost immediately. Thank you”

“I have suffered with Ménière’s disease for years. I’ll try anything. I did feel a pressure release and something draining. Hopefully this is what I needed.”

“It worked for me! Thank you”

“Holy crap it works!”

“I tried this and the tinnitus volume immediately lowered. That’s quite amazing.”

“Dr. Mendel thank you this has helped get rid of my vertigo. Wow!”

“While playing football I broke my cheek bone and eye socket in a clash of heads. It was on the same side as my affected ear and after the initial stunning blow and minutes of intensely heavy  pain, blood started pouring down through my left sinus and out of my nose.  The blow severed nerves between my eye socket and cheek bone and that left my teeth numb. I was very lucky that the nerves somehow fixed themselves.

The shock was that only minutes after the clash of heads my sinuses felt clearer than I could remember and all my hearing returned! I was so happily surprised that I almost forgot about the painful injury.

For four or five years I had believed, ever since my endolymphatic shunt implant that the hearing in my left ear had been damaged permanently.  The hearing only lasted for a few weeks but it had me asking more and more questions.

I had been hearing of so many others regaining their hearing while on the supplements and knew it was possible but in my case, after years with the worst symptoms it had fluctuated then abruptly after the shunt operation it seemed doomed to a permanent low level.

Had the blow moved some skeletal alignment, had it unblocked some tubes, what was going on?”

The blood that was pouring out of my nose was mixed with a clear fluid – lymph!

Click here to read my full story of recovery from Meniere’s disease

So, Can Lymphatic Drainage Therapy Relieve Meniere’s Symptoms?

I believe it is worth considering as a valid treatment option. As always with any treatment or therapy, it can depend very much on the practitioner as to whether you get results or not. So second and third opinions are always worth it.