meniere disease

[soraya]

Paul

I do know that Tai Chi may help this group of people. My husband is an NT surgeon who also practices Chen style.

I have a new student, 67 years old, otherwise a vigorous lady who plays tennis every day 3 hours in the sun. Of course she has trouble balancing, keeping her back straight but has a quite relaxed overall attitude.

There is not yet a study but i'm nearly sure about the rationale. Do you have any concrete success stories ?

[stanton]

soraya,

Here are some elements that I used but the person was not cured. The symptoms were decreased and the nausea, spinning was under control as to be bearable. I drew up my own scale based on the SF-36 short form (QOL) and compared the before and after results ( to assess benefit).

SInce "inner ear disorientation" (causing spinning, nausea, disorientation) etiology unknown, I used a combination of Wu style and shortened it to 10 postures with baduanjin and qigong form as intervention.

Person was under the care of MD, taking acupuncture from another professional and my classes. Together, they seemed to lower sympathetic arousal while allowing the subject to be in control.

From a clinical standpoint, playing tennis for 3 hours a day may be great for the person but I may suggest more "grounded' exercise as a way to lower any potential inflammatory processees
that occurs with aging (my assumption only).

It appears that more research is pointing to sub-clinical conditions that have inflammation as a precursor so low intensity 'exercises' like taijiquan , yoga, qigong, and even autogenic training can serve as anti-imflammatory mechanism.

[soraya]

Thanks Stanton for the very comprehensive history.

Yes, the exact etiology of Meniere is unknown and therefore cannot be causally cured. A few are associated with injury or syphillitis.

As to something to lower inflammatory processes, ageing is not always a point. This lady has a very good general condition, wealthy and never really worked hard in her life. A good life quality is important, tennis is her passion since 40 years. Since one of the theories state that the psychosomatic origin of this illness is quite significant i would suggest the lady(wouldnt call her trial subject) continueing double with sometimes single games.

The destressing and balancing effect of tai Chi is most important in this case. Yes SF 36 is great, it's a summary of many validated qol forms and other questionnaires as well, all condensed into 36 questions.

[stanton]

As a former acupuncturist, I never diagnosed per allopathic criteria meaning subject has endpoint condition (in this case menieres') but using reframed TCM critieria. I am not saying one is better but they have their points depending on the disease condition.

Using your case, in the case of of the 60 something, sarcopenia and inflammatory processees have increased (per age) and it is a biological progression. SOme people show various level of that process.
I viewed the subject walking and voice, observed skin and copied a procedure from PT/OT where the subject put some blocks together. (I merged my Rcereation Therapy experience with clincial research and tried to objectify while still doing the asking, observing and looking at copies of labporatory reports as background)

I would personally decrease the time with tennis (to 2 hours) and substitute, depending on prefernce of subject, something more like yoga (simple).
Low intensity activity (meditation)has the potentional to increase DHEA(S) and decrease cortisol /catecholamines concentration.

[soraya]

stanton

Are we still talking about meniere or about age? The lady already decrease tennis to 2 hours, mainly double. This is more technique, intention(yi) and jing. At this age you play like chess, with strategy and brain. Double game does not require much running, especially at senior level.

I did look at the subjects(patients) eye, expression of the face, skin, walking, talking, reactions. Spirit in the eyes is important and this lady has lots of it despite meniere. Her skin is good and she looks younger. People can be biologically younger than their chronological

[soraya]

3 power lseniors. They are Europeans, maybe you can mention AMericans.

Marika Roekk: revue dancer from Hungary, still performing split at 80, died at 81 from cancer not from exercise

Leni Riefenstahl, famour german underwater film director, died at 101 because her heart simply stopped beating, still attractive at 100 and filming underwater. Started to study underwater computer technology to film underwater at 95.


Albert Schweizer, lived in Africa in the heat. Started to study atomic technology at 80, having no previous knowledge

[stanton]

soraya,

I do agree that Europeans tend to be more active than Americans as a whole (generalization, of course).
In my own family (fathers side) from the islands, they reach 98/99 years of age, while my mother who migrated to North AMerica about 25 years ago died this year at 77 years.

Not too familiar with that aspect of North American culture yet but will check.

thanks for the input

[soraya]

Thanks Stanton for sharing your personal experience but i think we are quite off topic now. Anyway, i do think Tai Chi or similar activites will offer many people a long and healthy life. Paul's father-in-law is the living example. 90 years old, healthy and active.

The original topic was meniere and i would like to hear Paul's experience or other people.

[Dr. Paul Lam]

Soraya i vaguely remember a few people with meniere did told me that they benefited from tai chi, but there are so many people who have told me and write to me about how much tai chi has helped them... i cannot quite recall much about these cases. Sorry.

[grannyjan]

My father has Meniere's disease, and has had for more than 30 years. He does Yang style tai chi and has found that it helps with his balance. He does not fall nearly so often nowadays., although he still gets the disorientating giddiness. He is 75

[carolinew]

I am in general good health, but have found tai chi has improved my balance. As I am more aware of my posture and more able to transfer and move my wieight, it has made commuting on busy London Transport less fraught and much easier.