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General Information on Meniere's Disease / Syndrome

Can Lymphatic Drainage Therapy Relieve Meniere’s Symptoms?

Can Lymphatic Drainage Therapy Relieve Meniere's Symptoms?Lymphatic Drainage Therapy for Meniere’s Symptoms

 
 
Can Lymphatic Drainage Therapy Relieve Meniere’s Symptoms?
 
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:
 
“Experience has shown that improving the rheology (the ability to flow or be deformed ) and Lymphatic drainage flow also improves the symptoms. These patients usually exhibit clearly discernable paravertebral muscle tension in the neck region.
Treatment always begins with draining the cervical Lymph nodes of the neck, beginning with the nape, and head. After that specialized therapeutic techniques are applied to the ear, inner ear along with internal oral drainage.
 
The extensor musculature of the back is also treated. Treatment time is around 45 minutes, with daily sessions at first. After about two weeks 2-3 sessions per week are enough. The attacks will become less frequent and less severe.”
 
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:
 
“I have systemic autoimmune problems affecting my joints, thyroid, digestive tract and I’ve been diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome which is autoimmune and affects eyes, mouth etc. The lymphatic drainage therapy positively affected all of these to a lesser degree.

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!”

One final note that may give credence theoretically to the benefits of manual lymphatic drainage, the importance of the lymphatic system, the fact that there may be a blockage and also the relevance of the sinuses.

Below is a short excerpt from my own Meniere’s story.  I had been almost symptom free for several years. I say almost because I still had hearing loss at that time but then this happened:

“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 fluidlymph!

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.

If you found this article useful Click here to support Meniere’s Help paypal.me/menieres

Related articles:

By Mike Spencer

Founder of Menieres-Help.Com Supporting sufferers since 2004

Researcher and author of Managing Meniere’s Disease and The Need for Balance – Dealing with the Causes of Meniere’s

Help other sufferers. We have no first hand accounts that any of this helps so if you have experience with MLD or either of these techniques, email Mike at meniereshelp@gmail.com or tell us all about it in the comments box below.

Further reading: 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7167932/

Categories
General Information on Meniere's Disease / Syndrome Meniere's Disease Triggers & Causes

Meniere’s Disease – Allergies and Mold

Are Meniere’s Disease symptoms triggered by Allergies and Mold?

Allergies from pollen and other airborne allergens are known triggers for Meniere’s disease sufferers. 

It may be that airborne allergens are not only triggers but even a possible root cause in some people. There is always a surge of sufferers contacting Meniere’s Help during the allergy seasons in spring and fall/autumn so without doubt it increases symptoms and triggers attacks.

In addition, mold can increase allergic reactions and in itself can cause many diseases. Mold and mildew is also a known Meniere’s trigger and possible root cause in some sufferers.

In the USA, 28.9 million people were diagnosed with sinusitis in 2010. The sinuses are an important part of the immune system and also related to Meniere’s. Allergens inside buildings can be even worse! Could this be a problem for you?

Video: Meniere’s disease – allergies and mold.

If you find this site useful Click here to support Meniere’s Help paypal.me/menieres

For more on in depth insight into Meniere’s Disease – Allergies and Mold, related articles click below:

Related articles:

Help other Meniere’s sufferers. What are you experiences of Meniere’s in the allergy seasons, with mold and other allergens. Tell us all about it n the comments boxes below or email Mike at meniereshelp@gmail.com

References/Further reading:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31163563/

Categories
General Information on Meniere's Disease / Syndrome Meniere's Disease Triggers & Causes

Meniere’s Disease And Allergies

Meniere’s Disease And Airborne Allergies

It is Spring in the northern hemisphere and in many countries hay fever and allergens in the air, pollen from trees and flowers, grasses etc will be causing havoc for people with Meniere’s disease.

Meniere’s disease and allergies in the spring and the autumn/fall to a less extent ho hand in hand. Airborne allergies are a very common trigger and symptoms increase for many sufferers at these times.

Click here to read a more in depth article on how to prevent an increase in symptoms during allergy seasons.

If you have Meniere’s disease the pollen may get clogged up in your sinuses and cause dizziness and vertigo.  This can happen even if you do not directly suffer from hay fever or pollen allergy.

Every year the number of people contacting  Menieres-Help.Com increases significantly around this time of year.

Many sufferers of Meniere’s disease don’t need a doctor or studies to tell them allergies increase pressure and tinnitus and result in increased dizziness and other symptoms. 

They can feel it every season. However there are many studies confirming this. To quote the conclusion of  the 2015 study on the NIH, The link between Allergy and Meniere’s disease:

“MD, although described greater than 150 years ago, is still considered an idiopathic disease. Continued research is needed to further understand the etiology to assist in treatment.

An association between allergy and MD has been shown in cross-sectional and observational studies while animal studies have shown evidence of allergic activity within the inner ear.

Further studies are needed to demonstrate this association via well-designed randomized trials with inclusion of potential confounders. However, given the low risk to patients, inclusion of allergy avoidance and immunotherapy should be considered as part of the treatment plan to help patients control MD symptoms”

Meniere’s Disease And Allergies – Prevention

Prevention is always better than the cure as they say. When you know what your triggers are then why not take steps to avoid this triggers. 

You could wear a dust mask during this season, steam your sinuses regularly. You can also make sure you take great care in other areas of your life that could increase the chances of Meniere’s attacks such as diet, stress and lifestyle (smoking, drinking etc).

There are always triggers in foods, drinks,  the environment, your lifestyle etc . The more you are exposed to the more this will compound your symptoms. Reducing the chances of triggering an increase in symptoms as much as you can would seem prudent.

Steaming with pure clean steam, (not saline solutions), regularly during the allergy season and/or if you work in dusty/polluted environments can help a great deal in keeping symptoms at bay.

Cleaning your sinuses this way keeps them moist. Medications can dry up the sinuses and prevent them from doing their job. The symptoms of allergies are uncomfortable, but the sinuses are doing their job.

The sinuses, along with the tonsils are the first line of defense in your immune system and they should not be prevented from working.

Steaming is a safer and effective way to clean them.

If you found this article and site useful Click here to support Meniere’s Help paypal.me/menieres

Related articles:

Help other sufferers. Do you experience problems with Meniere’s disease and allergies ? Tell us all about it in the comments box below or email Mike at meniereshelp@gmail

Click here to  read Managing Meniere’s disease 

Click here to read The Need for Balance – Dealing with the Causes of Meniere’s

Further reading:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4549154/

Categories
General Information on Meniere's Disease / Syndrome Meniere's Disease Triggers & Causes

Neurocranial Restructuring

Neurocranial restructuring for Meniere’s disease and vertigo

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:

NCR is said to successfully improve many conditions including other conditions related to Meniere’s disease and vertigo. These include:

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.

Neurocranial Restructuring: Video

If you found this article useful Click here to support Meniere’s Help paypal.me/menieres

Click here to read Managing Meniere’s Disease 

Click here to read The Need for Balance – Dealing with the Causes of Meniere’s

Help other sufferers.

Do you have experience with Neurocranial Restructuring ?

Let us know all about it in the comments box below or email Mike at: meniereshelp@gmail.com

Further reading:

Neurocranial Restructuring

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