Case report, 1992
Does Menière's disease get worse before periods?
In six women with Menière's disease, symptoms like vertigo, hearing loss, and ringing in the ears got worse before their period. The connection between symptoms and the premenstrual period was confirmed with hearing and balance tests.
What they did
Doctors studied six women with Menière's disease. They did audiometric (hearing) and vestibular (balance) testing to document whether the women's inner ear symptoms were worse at different times of their menstrual cycle.
What they found
The women's symptoms of vertigo, low-frequency hearing loss, and tinnitus were worse before their period. The researchers identified a pattern showing symptoms were correlated with the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle.
What it means for you
For some women, Menière's disease symptoms get worse before their period. The researchers suggest this may be because fluid redistribution in the body before the period affects the inner ear. Since this is only six women with no control group, we don't know how common this is or why it happens.
6
Women studied
About the study
- Original title
- The exacerbation of symptoms in Menière's disease during the premenstrual period
- Authors
- Andrews JC, Ator GA, Honrubia V
- Journal
- Archives of otolaryngology--head & neck surgery
- Year
- 1992
- Study design
- Case report
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1001/archotol.1992.01880010078020