On this date in 1861, the French physician Prosper Ménière published his first report about a malady of the inner ear that eventually became known as Ménière’s disease. The symptoms are dizziness, ringing in the ear and progressive deafness, especially among lower frequency tones. Episodes can last from under an hour to as long as two days. Usually, the disease starts in one ear and may progress to the other. Researchers believe that the problem often begins in the tissue that lines canals of the inner ear, the place where sensory organs for balance and hearing reside. This tissue manufactures and filters the fluid that fills the inner ear. Too much fluid within the canals can cause nerve fibers within the canals to become distorted and overstimulated. The symptoms of Ménière’s disease can be treated with drugs to control vertigo, diuretics to curb fluid build-up in the inner ear, and sometimes surgery.

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