**Hearing and Vestibular Testing in Menière's Disease**

Madalina Gabriela Georgescu

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/66382

#### **Abstract**

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98 Up to Date on Meniere's Disease

Audiological and vestibular testing plays an important role in diagnosis of Menière's disease,as disease *per se* and as staging diagnosis. A battery of tests are recommended in order to have a better evaluation of the disease. Audiological testing includes pure tone audiometry, with highlights of bone conduction especially in acute episodes of Menière's disease, speech audiometry and glycerol test when hearing loss is documented, ABR and electrocochleography. Besides these investigations, vestibular investigations are also recommended in order to evaluate the degree of vestibular lesion present from the beginning of Menière's disease—electro- and videonystagmography, head impulse test, vestibular evoked myogenic potentials and computerized dynamic posturography.

**Keywords:** pure tone audiometry, glycerol test, auditory brainstem response, vestibular evoked myogenic potentials

#### **1. Introduction**

The aim of this chapter is to clearly identify the usefulness of audiological investigations, both for hearing and for vestibular function, in positive diagnosis of Menière's disease and in staging the lesion. This is important for counselling the patients regarding the disease long-term evolution and also for appropriate management of the disease.

Inner ear spaces of the anterior and posterior labyrinth communicate in between and endolymphatic hydrops present in the Menière's disease usually affects both auditory and vestibular sensorial structures located in the two parts of the inner ear.

In this chapter, hearing and vestibular testing will be presented, as tests are recommended for positive and differential diagnosis of the Menière's disease. Regarding Menière's disease diagnostic, audiological and vestibular testing plays an important role in diagnosis of the disease *per se* and for staging diagnosis. Besides medical importance, accurate diagnosis is also

important for counselling the patients regarding the disease long-term evolution and also for appropriate management of the disease.
