Ménière's disease is believed to be caused by an unusual amount of fluid or unusual composition of fluid in your inner ear, but what creates these differences is not known. It can cause vertigo, hearing loss in an ear, ringing in the ear or pressure in the ear. This sense of vertigo and pressure in the ear can sometimes cause problems, or at least concerns, if a person wants to fly. You don't have to let the disease limit your travel options, though.

Setting Your Limits

You need to understand your limitations. These limits will vary because of your personal tolerances and the severity of your disease, but Meniere's disease doesn't have to limit your travel. Astronaut Alan Shepard suffered from Ménière's disease and was still able to fly to the moon and back and deal with the pressure of launch.

Precautions When Flying

The pressure caused in your ear during a flight affect the middle ear. Ménière's disease is not a problem of the middle ear; it is a false feeling of fullness created by the disease. As for vertigo attacks, you'll want to not take a window seat and avoid getting up and down as much as possible. The latter is just to keep you from falling in the aisle should you experience a vertigo attack from Ménière's disease. Try to sleep if you can so you won't experience the feeling of vertigo.

See a Doctor for Treatment

You should already be undergoing treatment for Ménière's disease, but if you aren't, visit your doctor and ask for treatment. If you can fix or control the problem before your trip, flying shouldn't be a problem.

Lifestyle Changes

You can also make lifestyle changes at home to reduce the severity of your symptoms. You should also try altering your diet and limit the amount of sodium and caffeine in it. You should also eliminate alcohol and tobacco. Exercise and reduce stress. Finally, get plenty of sleep.

Source:

Ménière's Info.com

Ménière's FAQs

Mayo Clinic