Ménière's disease
|mānˈye(ə)rz| (also Ménière's syndrome)
noun
a disease of unknown cause affecting the membranous labyrinth of the ear, causing progressive deafness and attacks of tinnitus and vertigo.
ORIGIN late 19th cent.: named after Prosper Ménière (1799–1862), French physician.
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Over the summer I was diagnosed with Ménière's disease.
At first, everything sounded like Gay Robot:
Then voices started sounding like R2-D2. And I *hate* Star Wars.
Finally, whenever I would listen to music, I would have pain in my inner ear. I would get dizzy. I would have weird, high-pitched feedback sounds in my head all the time.
Eventually, after just resting my ears -- not playing music and asking people to talk softly around me -- the hearing distortions and tinnitus improved, just in time for my appointment with the ENT. They said my hearing was fine, but that because of excess fluid in my ears, I had the Ménière's.
But I love music.
A lot.
Alas, my ears have forced me to stop making Diamonds and Pearls Radio. I'll still post music (that I listen to softly, of course), but now, I'll give you more to read about maybe! Did you know I cook? And make crafty things? And write about history and film? It's true! So stick around for updates on my ears (if you're into that kind of thing) and more.
<3 Always,
Jenni
