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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
The cause of Meniere's disease isn't well understood. It appears to be the result of the abnormal volume or composition of fluid in the inner ear. But what factors actually cause these changes in the inner ear fluid is unknown.
The inner ear is a cluster of connected passages and cavities called a labyrinth. The outside of the inner ear is made of bone (bony labyrinth). Inside is a soft structure of membrane (membranous labyrinth) that's a slightly smaller, similarly shaped version of the bony labyrinth.
The membranous labyrinth contains a fluid (endolymph) and is lined with hair-like sensors that respond to movement of the fluid. These sensors create nerve impulses that are sent to the brain. Each part of the inner ear is responsible for a different type of sensory perception:
- Sensors in a portion of the membrane in the center section of the labyrinth (vestibule) enable you to detect your own acceleration movement in any direction.
- Branching off from one side of the vestibule are three loops (semicircular canals). Sensors in the semicircular canals enable you to sense your own rotational motion and are important for maintaining your balance.
- On the other side of the vestibule is a snail-shaped structure (cochlea), the hearing part of the inner ear. Vibrating bones of the middle ear create waves in the inner ear fluid, which sensors in the cochlea translate into impulses sent to the brain.
In order for all of the sensors in the inner ear to function properly, the fluid needs to retain a certain volume, pressure and chemical composition. Factors that alter the properties of inner ear fluid may help cause Meniere's disease.
Meniere's disease generally occurs in only one ear. In rare cases, both ears can be affected.
