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DIAGNOSTIC TESTS FOR MENIERE\'S DISEASE: HEARING TESTS
To help make the diagnosis of Meniere\'s disease your doctor may send you for a series of tests and/or refer you to an ENT specialist. Blood tests, a C.T. Scan or a M.R.I, test may be ordered to exclude other diseases which have similar symptoms to Meniere\'s disease. A physical examination of the ears, head and neck, and the part of the nervous system related to balance should be undertaken. A full investigation of hearing and balance is then required to confirm the diagnosis of Meniere\'s disease and to assess its severity.
Hearing tests
An assessment of hearing in both ears using pure tone and speech discrimination tests is carried out. Electrophysiological tests examine the function of the inner ear and hearing nerves.
One form of this testing is Electrocochleography. During the test a probe is inserted into the ear, usually perforating the ear drum (it\'s not painful), and clicks or bursts of sound are introduced. A computer is used to measure the electrical behaviour of the inner ear in response to the clicks. Increased endolymph pressure alters the normal electrical response. The finding is specific for endolymphatic hydrops. Endolymphatic hydrops is always present in active Meniere\'s. This test can be repeated to monitor the state of the disease.
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GENERAL HEALTH
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