Efficacy of 100 hz sound stimulation on saccular dysfunction in meniere’s disease

Abstract

Background Although various medical remedies have been attempted to alleviate the symptoms of Meniere’s disease (MD), the risk–benefit ratios of these various treatments remain debatable. Objective We investigated the efficacy of sound stimulation of 100 Hz for treating vestibular dysfunction in patients with Meniere’s disease (MD). Materials and methods Patients with definitive MD with intractable vestibular symptoms and endolymphatic hydrops (EH) in the inner ear were evaluated. The experimental group received sound stimulation of 75 dB at a frequency of 100 Hz for 5 min, and the control group received sound stimulation of 75 dB at a frequency of 250 Hz for 5 min. Cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) were measured before and after each sound stimulation, and the results of the clinical tests were compared between the two patient groups. Results Significant increases in cVEMP amplitudes were observed after sound stimulation of 100 Hz in ears with vestibular endolymphatic hydrops, although no such improvement was observed in the control group. Conclusion Sound stimulation of 75 dB at a frequency of 100 Hz leads to improvement in cVEMP amplitude in patients with definitive MD. Adequate sound stimulation might be a new method for treating vestibular dysfunction associated with MD.