This research shows promising potential new understanding of Meniere’s and therefore therapy.
He suggests a strong link between the mechanisms of Glaucoma and Meniere’s.
A genetic weakness causes neural degeneration is some subjects that have Hydrops. They inhibited the suspect gene in mice causing the weakness to be suppressed, which didn’t prevent the Hyrdops, but protected the neural population and their hearing.
Thanks for sharing this, James. Most of the technical references were way above my pay grade, but I got the general gist of it.
I have long wondered if there is a genetic and possibly inherited weakness that predisposes some to all of these (related?) problems and symptoms. Around the time I was finally diagnosed with Meniere’s, my Dad started with the same symptoms and was similarly diagnosed. When I asked our shared ENT (small town - only one specialist) if it was hereditary, he replied “Oh no, your Dad’s cause is quite different - he has hardening of the arteries”. This may have been correct, as he was around mid 60’s at the time; however, not everyone with hardening of the arteries gets Meniere’s…so was there some kind of pre-disposition there? - that I have unfortunately inherited? Whilst mine gradually went into ‘remission’, his continued in the severity of episodes. Of course none of this conjecture helps me, I just find it interesting.
As I look back, some of the things that worry me BADLY now, have always been uncomfortable for me, like loud/sudden noise, heights, spinning/flickering lights and I became sensitive to glare and bright sunlight around the same time as the first vertigo started - after a childhood growing up on the beach with no thought of sunglasses!
Here’s hoping they can come up with the answers soon!
This space absolutely crying out for a revolution. So many planets are aligning technologically: Nano miniaturisation, genome mapping and gene therapy, stem cell tech. ENT is soooo far behind other domains. For example Glaucoma is very similar to Hydrops and has a very effective treatment.
btw I believe he is wrong about the Reisner membrane breaching during an attack. Far far more likely it’s a simple blockage of the ducts giving way to the built up pressure which is much less insidious!
Perhaps I’m cynical, but I can’t help feeling that our problem - though much more widespread than I had thought - is not ‘dramatic’ enough to attract really intensive research. Gets back to “we look O.K., and you can always get a hearing aid…” . I sincerely hope I’m wrong! My heart goes out to young people affected, especially these days. I though I was young to have started at 20, can’t imagine what it must be like for a teenager!
I think there is a HUGE market for restorative hearing therapy. I can imagine many people prepare to pay $10,000s of dollars or equivalent to get their hearing back or even just tinnitus eliminated. You realise later in life health is one of the most valuable assets there is. If someone could cure me of this I’d be prepared to pay more than half a years salary.
This is what I don’t understand - already people pay HUGE sums of money for ‘state of the art’ hearing aids…surely prevention is better than cure!
Price of hearing aids should soon collapse. Look at Apple EarPods. No hearing aid should cost more. And there will be an explosion in functionality. They will integrate with your smartphone
OMG! I hav’nt even master a touchscreen yet…
Hehe