**Living with Ménière's Disease: Understanding Patient Experiences of Mental Health and Well-Being in Everyday Life**

Jess Tyrrell, Sarah Bell and Cassandra Phoenix

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/66391

#### **Abstract**

This chapter will discuss the current knowledge of the mental health and wellbeing impact of Ménière's. To date, our understanding is limited, with small sample sizes, no controls, and the inability to account for confounding factors. Our work in the UK Biobank aimed to further our understanding of the impacts of Ménière's at the population level.

Secondly we will consider the patient perspective of what it means to live with Ménière's. This is essential to develop appropriate healthcare pathways and ensure patients are able to lead fulfilling lives. There is very limited information about how the patient experiences and makes sense of the disease (or not) - including its triggers and physical sensations - in everyday life.

Our findings suggest that Ménière's adversely impacts on mental health, an individual's emotional state and their life satisfaction. We demonstrate the complex processes of adjustment (physical, social and emotional) following a diagnosis of Ménière's. Although a cure is not currently available, our study illustrates that much can be learnt from the adaptation strategies developed by long-term sufferers in order to help individuals with new diagnoses; an experience that is both daunting and disruptive to patients' everyday lives.

**Keywords:** Ménière's disease, UK Biobank, Qualitative, mental health, well-being, interdisciplinary

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