Ménière’s disease, also called endolymphatic hydrops, is a disorder of the inner ear that can affect hearing and balance to a varying degree. It is characterized by episodes of vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss. The hearing loss comes and goes for some time, alternating between ears, then becomes permanent with no return to normal function. It is named after the French physician Prosper Ménière, who, in an article published in 1861, first reported that vertigo was caused by inner ear disorders.
Ryan Adams recently came back from a two year break from music because Ménière’s disease became so degenerative to him, and needed to undergo therapy to get back on stage to overcome the anxiety the disease caused him. He spoke with CBS about his career, and his hearing illness.
