The Hindu Business Line : Life with Meniere's

Salt and saturated fats are also foes of Meniere's. So, keep the saltshaker at arm's length. And rid your larder and refrigerator of fries, butter, ghee, and so on.

FOR YOUR EARS: A coughing fit brought on by kitchen fumes can strain the inner ear. - M. Periasamy

When my friend Siloo was diagnosed as having Meniere's disease, her first question to the doctor was "Is it fatal?"

"No, it isn't life-threatening," he assured her. "Thank God!" she said gratefully and commenced to spiritedly pick up the threads of her life while also finding ways to deal with her affliction. I salute her heroism. Till date, I've never heard a word of complaint from her.

Meniere's disease affects the ear. It brings on intense headaches, vertigo (dizziness), nausea, tinnitus (a ringing in the ears), sometimes loss of balance and, at an advanced stage, perhaps a loss in hearing. That's why it is important to come to grips with it as quickly as possible and assert positively, "There is life with Meniere's and I'm going to find it and live it to the hilt!"

As yet, researchers are unable to pinpoint its cause. Yes, it seems to start with excessive endolymph fluid in the inner ear. This fluid helps us retain balance. But why the fluid increases is a mystery. There's a growing feeling that continuous loud noise, an allergy or a virus can contribute to its onset. While it's important to follow the doctor's orders and take our medicine regularly, there are small, significant ways that we can help ourselves:

Recognise it's a cycle. The silver lining here is that it is cyclical. You can be free of symptoms for several months or several years. For this reason, surgery should not be considered. Labyrinthectomy, as it is called, severs the neural links from the ear to the brain. While this does away with vertigo, the ringing, the headaches, nausea, it also heralds in complete deafness. It's wiser to ride the tide and wait for the cycle of normal life to return and keep your hearing prowess intact.

Remain in a clean environment. It has been observed that environmental pollutants — fuel fumes and tobacco smoke in particular — trigger off Meniere's symptoms. It's worth not keeping company with smokers and covering your nose and ears while travelling on the road. Siloo's friends make sure they go out of the room to light up their cigarettes.

Watch your food. Salt and saturated fats are also foes of Meniere's. So, keep the saltshaker at arm's length. And rid your larder and refrigerator of fries, butter, ghee, and so on. Also, here's one valuable tip: Get out of the kitchen when the dal is being seasoned. The strong fumes of the oil and red chillies can irritate the throat and bring on a coughing fit that puts a strain on the inner ear.

Maintain a diary. Since you can be symptom-free for months or years, it's easy to forget what triggers your symptoms and what gives relief. A personal easy-reference diary is a must. Note down the food you eat, your activities and the events that occurred prior to an attack. Note down the date and time-span of the symptoms. Look for similarities and patterns. Were you exhausted? Were you on a fast? Were you with somebody you acutely dislike? Did you skip breakfast or lunch or even your cup of tea? Were you stressed due to financial setbacks? Were you on some medication? As you pinpoint the common triggers, list them. And avoid them in the future.

Simultaneously, note down what brings relief. Do you feel better after a cycling session or a walk in the park? Does acupuncture or acupressure or aromatherapy reduce the intensity of the symptoms? Does calling up and speaking to some specific person refresh and de-stress you? Does an earwax-cleaning session done by your doctor provide relief? Any small detail that eases you is worth its weight in gold. Go for it.

M-power yourself. I got this idea of `M-power' from my student Rupa. M stands for Mind, Meditation, Metta (kindness in Buddhism). Practise these three `Ms'. M stands for Managing Meniere's too. Of course you're entitled to feel low, depressed, victimised and wish it hadn't happened to you. But soon you must allow the survivor in you to surface; you must take charge of your life before Meniere's tries to control your emotions.

Give yourself permission to live for an hour without a single fear. For one hour experience what it feels to be free and good and happy. Make up your mind that each day will be better, richer, more fulfilling than the last. That is, though the body may occasionally falter, stay on strong healthy terms with life itself.

Recently I read about Esther, an indomitable woman who has suffered from dehydration to leukaemia to a fractured collarbone to uterine problems. By the time she was 82, she felt she'd seen it all, done it all, experienced it all. Only to be struck by Meniere's disease at 85. But even that is all in a day's work for the resilient, cheerful Esther. "I'll be out of it — cured, healed, delivered by the time I'm 90," she says confidently. I believe her.

The writer is co-author of the book `Fitness for Life'.

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