Normal Endolymph Volume and Pressure
Placeholder: healthy inner ear holds steady fluid volume.
- 100%: Endolymph volume (normal reference level)
- Stable: Vestibular signal (no distortion)
- Quiet: Hair cell state (no irritation)
- 0 dB shift: Hearing threshold (baseline audiogram)
Steady-state fluid physiology
Placeholder: production and resorption stay balanced at baseline.
Production Outpaces Reabsorption
Placeholder: endolymphatic sac resorption slows, volume rises.
- Rising: Volume trend (gradual accumulation)
- Endolymphatic sac: Suspected site (resorption bottleneck)
- Subclinical: Symptom onset (not yet noticeable)
- Days–weeks: Timeframe (slow buildup phase)
Fluid homeostasis breakdown
Placeholder: small imbalance compounds gradually toward hydrops.
Membranous Labyrinth Distends Under Pressure
Placeholder: excess endolymph stretches the membranous walls.
- Progressive: Wall distension (radial ballooning)
- Elevated: Pressure state (above normal range)
- 3 targets: Structures stressed (vestibule + cochlea)
- Partial: Reversibility (early hydrops stage)
Mechanical wall stress
Placeholder: rising pressure bulges membrane against neighboring structures.
Three Structures, Three Symptoms, One Pressure Source
Placeholder: single distension drives three separate symptom paths.
- Utricle / canals: Vertigo source (balance signal distortion)
- Cochlear hair cells: Tinnitus source (irritated mechanotransduction)
- Cochlear duct: Hearing loss source (transduction distortion)
- Endolymph pressure: Shared cause (single upstream driver)
Branching symptom pathways
Placeholder: one mechanical event, three independent sensory disruptions.
Pressure Peak, Rupture, and Symptom Release
Placeholder: peak pressure ruptures membrane, symptoms briefly ease.
- Reissner's membrane: Rupture theory (proposed release valve)
- Episodic: Attack pattern (build, peak, release)
- Transient relief: Post-release state (pressure re-equalizes)
- Variable: Recurrence (cycle repeats over time)
Rupture-release cycle
Placeholder: sudden pressure release explains episodic symptom pattern.
Placeholder: rupture theory links pressure peaks to attack timing.