Meniere's Disease, Cochlear Type

Abstract

The cochlear type of Meniere's disease was described by Brunner. 1 Deafness was the cardinal symptom, and there was no history of any vertiginous attack. Williams and associates 2 reported a number of cases of endolymphatic hydrops without vertigo. Their diagnosis was based on a history of an allergic background, a fluctuating low-tone hearing loss of sudden onset, and diplacusis. As a confirmatory therapeutic test, these authors cited the favorable results they obtained from the administration of histamine. The audiologic study of Meniere patients during the past 12 years yielded some interesting results. The Meniere cochlear function seems to be encumbered with numerous pathologicophysiologic details. These are revealed in relation to tonal perception, selective hearing, threshold of discomfort, and intelligibility of speech. To be sure, the great majority of my patients presented the complete symptom complex of vertigo, deafness, and tinnitus. The aim is to gather the facts that make