How does sodium intake affect Meniere's?

The vertigo experienced in Meniere's disease can be severe. Eating a low-sodium diet may help reduce the frequency of your episodes.

But how does sodium intake affect Meniere's? To answer this we have to first know how Meniere's occur:

The current theory is that Meniere's Disease symptoms are caused by an imbalance in fluid pressure between two inner ear fluid chambers. The endolymphatic chamber is believed to build up excess fluid and pressure. Once the pressure has reached a critical level, the thin membrane separating the endolymphatic and perilymphatic chambers ruptures, causing a mixture of the fluids from the two chambers. These fluids are chemically different and their mixture causes a "short-circuiting' of the inner ear. This results in the severe vertigo of the Meniere's attack. Once the pressure has been released, this membrane heals and the fluid chemistries return to normal. It is thought that when this healing occurs the hearing recovers, although not always completely. This fluid pressure build up can reoccur causing the symptoms to return. It is important to remember that this is all theory supported by the appearance of microscopically examined inner ears from deceased patients who had Meniere's Disease during their lifetime.

Now let's go back to the original question. How does sodium intake affect Meniere's?

Sodium in the body increases fluid retention. Common table salt is, of course, sodium chloride, and is normally the primary source of sodium in the body. On the theory that Meniere's Disease symptoms may result from excess endolymphatic fluid in the inner ear, physicians often counsel patients to reduce overall fluid in the body, with the hope that endolymphatic fluid will be reduced in the process. To reduce sodium intake and, therefore, reduce bodily fluids, physicians often counsel a low-salt diet.