Welcome to Our Find a Doctor Page
Last Modified Monday, July 26, 2010


Resources to Help You Find a Doctor
Copyright © 1997-2010 Meniere's Disease Information Center.  All rights are reserved.
All copying, including (but not limited to) websites, bulletin boards, forums, and blogs, is prohibited.
Click here for more copyright information.

We don't endorse, recommend, or refer to physicians for the
simple reason that we have no particular competence to do so.

Table of Contents

Introduction:  Keep Searching for the Doctor Who is Best for You 

There is no one "best doctor."  There is only the best doctor for you. 

  • Meniere's Disease is difficult to diagnose and can be difficult to treat. 

  • You will need a doctor who is technically knowledgeable about Meniere's Disease, who experienced in treating Meniere's Disease, who actually listens to you, who actually explains your options to you and why, and in whom you have trust and confidence. 

  • You will need to be a full partner with your doctor in your medical management.

Section 1:  Medical Specialists Explained 

Meniere's Disease is a disorder of the inner ear and the vestibulocochlear (8th cranial) nerve.

  • An ENT (ears, nose, and throat doctor) (otolaryngologist or otorhinolaryngologist) specializes in disorders of the ear, nose, and throat.

  • An otologist specializes in disorders of the ear.

  • A neurologist specializes in disorders of the nerves.

  • A neurotologist (also known as otoneurologist) specializes in disorders of the ear and of the vestibulocochlear (8th cranial) nerve.

    • Neurotologist board certification.  In the U.S., there are "boards" that certify physician specialists.  The umbrella organization for all 24 boards that certify physician specialities is the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).  One of those boards is the American Board of Otolaryngology (ABOto).  That board certifies otolaryngologists (also known as otorhinolaryngologists).  It also certifies the subspecialty of neurotology.  There is a FAQ (frequently asked questions) page at the OBOto website here.  A booklet at the ABOto website, in .pdf format, provides information on the qualifications for a board-certified neurotologist as well as the board's definition of a board-certified neurotologist.  Click here. 

Section 2:  A strategy for finding a doctor out of town, even out of state. 

Think of finding a physician in two steps: (1) Find a physician to diagnose you and develop a treatment plan. (2) Find a physician to treat you. Obviously, the physician that first diagnoses you and develops a treatment plan could be the same physician that treats you, but NOT necessarily.

  • Step 1: Diagnosis and Treatment Plan. Meniere's Disease is very difficult to diagnose. A proper diagnosis requires a lot of expensive equipment that most otolaryngologists and neurotologists just don't have. Here's an option for you to consider. Even if you live in the boonies, you may travel to a place where you can be properly be diagnosed and receive a treatment plan. You don't necessarily have to be treated there. You can make the trip for diagnosis and treatment plan this year's "vacation" -- a vacation strictly for medical purposes. If you try to combine your medical needs with touristing, make sure your medical needs come first.

    • Try for a Monday appointment so that you have a day or two or three to take the tests and get the physician's opinion and treatment recommendations (and -- perhaps -- treatment). When you call for an appointment, tell the appointment managers what you have in mind so that they can help you. Be sure to bring with you copies of any test results that you already have that you can contribute to your medical file with that particular physician.

  • Step 2:  Treatment.  After you receive your diagnosis, and if it is Meniere's Disease, and after you get that physician's opinion as to a treatment plan, the choice is yours.

    • You may opt for treatment right then and there with that physician, perhaps even surgery (transtympanic instillation and perfusion of certain drugs; endolymphatic shunt surgery, etc., which are usually outpatient surgeries). If you want to continue to travel to that physician for treatment, fine.

    • You may opt for treatment close to home, coordinated through your family doctor or local specialist.  Or you might ask your diagnosing physician for a recommendation as to a physician who might treat you back home using the treatment plan of the diagnosing physician.

Section 3:  Getting Multiple Medical Opinions  

Most people are more careful about buying a computer than they are about their own medical diagnosis and treatment.

  • If you were buying a computer, you might go to several places and ask for opinions of sales associates.

  • We always recommend getting multiple opinions, both for diagnosis, and for treatment.  Medicine is an art, not a science.  Meniere's Disease is tricky to diagnose and to treat.  We suspect that there are many false positive diagnoses of Meniere's Disease (meaning that it is not Meniere's Disease after all) and many false negative diagnoses that are not Meniere's Disease (meaning that a diagnosis of something else is really Meniere's Disease).

  • You cannot go wrong by getting 2nd/ 3rd/ 4th/ and even more opinions both as to the medical diagnosis and as to the treatment options, even when doctors agree on the diagnosis.  You are likely to get different answers.  Your duty to yourself is to ask questions.  "Why do you recommend that treatment over any other treatment?"  "What other treatments are there?"  "Are you 100% certain of this diagnosis?"  "What other possibilities are there?"

  • Ultimately, you are in charge of your own treatment.  Pick and choose the diagnosis and the treatment plan that makes sense to you.  You have to work at this.  Do your research.

  • Resources:

The life that you improve may be your own.

Section 4:  PubMed as a Resource to Find a Doctor  

PubMed is a resource of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Library of Medicine (NLM). It contains literally millions of abstracts of medical journal articles.

  • You might use PubMed to find a physician who has written a published article about Meniere's Disease or on some particular aspect of Meniere's Disease.
  • You might also use PubMed to find a physician who has written on Meniere's Disease and who practices in your community.
  • For example, if you are looking for a doctor who is in Montreal, you might search PubMed for "meniere's AND montreal."  (The "AND" must be in all caps to be recognized as a connector.)  (Like this.) 
  • Try different searches.  A search for "meniere's AND alabama" will miss some articles that will be found by searching for "meniere's AND birmingham."
Section 5:  Patient Advocacy Groups as  Resources to Find a Doctor  
Section 6:  Professional Medical Societies as Resources to Find a Doctor 

  • American Board of Otolaryngology (ABOto).  In the U.S., there are "boards" that certify physician specialists.  The umbrella organization for all 24 boards that certify physician specialities is the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).  One of those boards is the American Board of Otolaryngology (ABOto).  That board certifies otolaryngologists (also known as otorhinolaryngologists).  It also certifies the subspecialty of neurotology.  There is a FAQ (frequently asked questions) page at the OBOto website here.  A booklet at the ABOto website, in .pdf format, provides information on the qualifications for a board-certified neurotologist as well as the board's definition of a board-certified neurotologist.  Click here.

    • ABOto does not provide referrals.  However --

      • There is a page on which one can verify whether a particular physician is board-certified here.  If one enters the name of a city and leaves all other entries blank, one will get a list of all board-certified doctors in that city (up to a certain maximum).  If one checks "Let me choose a state," and selects a state, and leaves all other entries blank, one will get a list of all board-certified doctors in that state (up to a certain maximum).  Unfortunately, this feature does not disclose the nature of the certification.  Presumably, all of the listed doctors are board-certified in otolaryngology, but whether a doctor is also board-certified in the subspecialty of neurotology is not shown.  Perhaps if one calls the Board, one could find out whether a doctor is board-certified in the subspecialty of neurotology.

      • There is a page listing new board-certified neurotologists here.

  • AAO-HNS (American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery).

    • The Academy can provide members of the public with the names of member otolaryngologists in their local geographic areas. The Academy does not, however, have lists of otolaryngologists who specialize in the treatment of Meniere's disease, nor does it recommend any particular physician. Here is its otolaryngologist search page.

      • Observation: a patient could telephone the listed otolaryngologists and ask about members' qualifications and experience in treating Meniere's Disease.

  • The Prosper Meniere Society.

  • Canadian Society of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery.

    • The Society has a find a doctor page; doctors are listed in Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Kuwait, Norway, and the U.S.

  • Australian Society of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery.

    • While the Society's website has no information for finding a doctor, one might contact the Society and ask whether it has referral information.

  • New Zealand Society of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery.

  • The Politzer Society.

  • American Otological Society.

  • American Neurotology Society.  

  • European Academy of Otology and Neuro-Otology (EAONO)

    • Various officers and committee members are listed at the site.  There is no complete membership directory at the website, but perhaps an inquiry to the academy would result in a referral.

Section 7:  Medical Schools as Resources to Find a Doctor  

  • Treatment.  Most medical schools are affiliated with facilities that treat patients.

  • Referrals.  Contact the department of neurotology, otology, otolaryngology, or otorhinolaryngology, and ask for a referral to a doctor who is a specialist in Meniere's Disease.

Section 8:  Hospital Physical Referral Services as Resources to Find a Doctor  

  • Many hospitals operate referral services whereby you can telephone the referral service and they will help you to identify a doctor who has the qualifications you are looking for. Usually the referral service can tell you the insurance programs with which the doctors are participating.

  • Best U.S. Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospitals -- as reported by U.S. News and World Report magazine.

Section 9:  MedifocusHealth.com's Lists of American and International "Centers of Research" for Meniere's Disease.   
Section 10:  U.S. Doctors, Hospitals, and Clinics With Websites (or Other Internet Links) That Connect Them With the Treatment of  Meniere's Disease.  

We don't endorse, recommend, or refer to physicians for the simple reason that we have no particular competence to do so.  The following facilities are listed simply because they have websites (or other Internet links) that connect them with the treatment of Meniere's Disease.
U.S. doctors, hospitals, and clinics:  To be listed, simply provide us with the Internet link that connects you with the treatment of Meniere's Disease.  There is no charge.  Click here.

Copyright © 1997-2010 Meniere's Disease Information Center.  All rights are reserved.
All copying, including (but not limited to) websites, bulletin boards, forums, and blogs, is prohibited.
Click here for more copyright information.