Last year, I woke up one morning with sudden hearing loss in my right ear and a severe vertigo attack that left me nauseous, dizzy, and barely functioning for about a week. I had no idea what was happening, so I made an appointment to see an ENT (ear, nose, and throat specialist) to try and figure out what was happening. After a series of hearing tests and an MRI, my doctor diagnosed me with Ménière’s disease.
Before this, I had never heard of it. I learned that Ménière’s disease is a balance disorder that is caused by an abnormality in the part of the ear called the labyrinth. Fluid buildup there can cause vertigo (that severe spinning feeling I felt for over a week) and can affect hearing (in my case, sudden hearing loss).
It is possible that over the years, I may have been living with it, and my symptoms were so mild that my body compensated for it, and I learned to adjust. I have had mild ringing in my ears (tinnitus, a classic Ménière’s disease symptom) and some hearing loss, but nothing as severe as this episode.
At the recommendation of my doctor, I had to quickly adjust my lifestyle, changing to a low-sodium, low-stress, and almost no caffeine lifestyle to help manage my symptoms.
How does the ADA protect someone with Ménière’s disease?
Under the ADA, Ménière’s disease is considered a type of disability because it is a physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. In my case, my hearing and ability to concentrate and think are affected due to the vertigo and brain fog symptoms I experience.
Because of this, I can request reasonable accommodations at my job. I’ve learned to make modifications to my work environment, including wearing over-ear headphones to reduce noise (including humming, noisy barking dogs, or other loud noises) and taking more frequent breaks to keep my symptoms under control. Since I work from home in a quieter space, I can focus more and be able to do my best without it impacting my work.
Navigating Public Spaces
Learning to navigate the outside world has also been a bit of a learning experience. I have learned to avoid certain environments that may trigger my vertigo, like stores that have fluorescent lighting. These lights can make me feel dizzy, so I have started to wear my sunglasses indoors to manage my symptoms.
Under the ADA, public spaces are required to make reasonable modifications so people with disabilities can access them. This could include adjusting lighting whenever possible, or allowing me to wear my sunglasses indoors.
I’ve also learned to be more cautious when walking, recently learning that I need to hold on to railings on stairs or find paved walking areas to avoid stumbling over. The ADA requires public facilities to have features like handrails, ramps, and accessible pathways which make it helpful for people with disabilities to access.
Conclusion
Something we like to share with our community is that disabilities can happen to anyone at any given time. While I did not expect to acquire a disability so soon, I think working at the Rocky Mountain ADA Center has certainly prepared me for learning how to navigate life with a disability. Living with Ménière’s has also taught me to adjust how I experience life at work, outside and how I move about it. Accommodations are not “special treatment” but about providing equitable access so that people like me can keep living and working to their fullest potential.