Alternative medicine and non-invasive therapies for the treatment of Meniere’s disease.

Characterized by recurrent episodes of tinnitus, acute vertigo, sensorineural hearing loss and aural fullness, Ménière's disease is known for its debilitating impact on quality of life. Although the etiology and pathogenesis remain largely unclear, the most plausible hypothesis ascribes to endolymphatic hydrops abnormal fluctuations in the pressure of inner ear, which would be responsible for alterations in receptor elements. The management of Ménière's disease is controversial, consequently itstreatment is currently empirical and the therapies are aimed at controlling the symptoms. The purpose of this paper was a review of the literature on complementary and alternative (CAM) methods currently available to cope with this disease. The control of water intake may be the simpler and more convenient procedure for patients. Even the adaptation of the lifestyle and the treatment of anxiety appear to be helpful. Nutrition education can improve the results of medical treatment: dietary protocols often include low-sodium diet and reduction of caffeine, nicotine, and carbohydrates intake. Some studies have assessed the impact of the ingestion of specially processed cereals (SPC) optimized to enhance the synthesis of endogenus antisecretory factor (AF). The AF acts as a modulator of water and ion transport by regulating the homeostasis of chlorides. The intake of Omega-3 seems to satisfy all necessary requirements to obtain a correct homeostasis of the inner ear. Finally, the repetitive application of excess pressure in the middle ear (Meniett device), virtual reality and acupuncture have been shown to induce improvements in patients with Ménière's disease.