"The Bachelor" season 28 is underway and one of its new contestants is openly sharing her experience about hearing loss and her cochlear implant with her potential beau Joey Graziadei.

Daisy Kent, 25, an account executive from Minnesota, went viral on TikTok in 2023 after sharing her experiences with a cochlear implant and is bringing her experience to the bachelor stage.

Kent is opening up about her diagnosis with Ménière's disease at age 17 and Lyme disease at age 21, according to an article by CBS 8.

What is Ménière's disease?

Ménière's, a condition that typically impacts one ear, is a disorder of the inner ear that causes symptoms including dizziness, ringing in the ears, hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness or congestion in the ear, according to the National Institute of Health’s National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

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What are the symptoms of Ménière's disease?

Mayo Clinic defines the sign and symptoms of Ménière's disease:

  • Regular dizzy spells: A spinning feeling that starts and stops suddenly, usually lasting between 20 minutes to 12 hours, but no more than 24 hours.
  • Vertigo: May start without warning. Serious vertigo can cause nausea.
  • Hearing loss: May come and go early on in the diagnosis. Over time, hearing loss can be long-lasting and will not get better.
  • Ringing in the ear: A buzzing, roaring, whistling or hissing sound in your ear.
  • Feeling of fullness in the ear. Feel pressure in the ear.

How is Ménière's disease diagnosed?

If anyone is expecting the above symptoms, an audiologist will perform several tests to diagnose a patient the Cleveland Clinic says:

  • Hearing test: A series of sounds will be played through headphones and the patients will press a button when they hear a sound.
  • Vestibular test battery: A test that checks the reflex of your inner ear balance system and eye muscles.
  • Brain MRI with contrast: An imaging test that helps to rule out potential brain tumors or any other potential diseases that may cause dizziness or hearing loss.

What are the causes?

Ménière's disease can be caused by several different factors. Typically, the labyrinth, the innermost part of the ear, is encased in bone and contains a fluid which called an endolymph. When the head moves, the endolymph moves. This causes the nerve receptors in the labyrinth to signal the brain about the body's motion. When there is excess endolymph buildup in the labyrinth, it can interfere with the normal hearing signals., according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

What are the treatment options?

The Mount Sinai Center for Hearing and Balance highlights various treatment options that can help Ménière's disease become more manageable

  • Medications: Prescription drugs like Diuretics, Meclizine and Valium.
  • Salt restriction: Limiting salt intake will help keep the inner ear fluid low and help prevent vertigo.
  • Injections: Getting injections of the antibiotic gentamicin into the middle ear can reduce the incidence of vertigo while preserving hearing in the ear. Dexamethasone is a cortisone that can be injected into the inner ear.

Can Ménière's disease cause permanent hearing loss?

Ménière’s disease can progress to hearing loss which may become permanent, according to the Better Health Channel. Depending on the severity of the hearing loss, many patients may benefit from a hearing aid.

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