The ear is responsible not only for hearing. Its inner part, hidden inside the head, is also responsible for a sense of balance. Sometimes the functioning of the so-called labyrinth, the organ of equilibrium, is disturbed due to the excess amount of fluid inside. It happens, this is due to the hereditary narrowness of some parts of the labyrinth, and sometimes the normal state is disturbed due to head injuries, infection in the ear, nicotine use or alcohol abuse.
Then they are diagnosed with Meniere’s disease, signs: severe dizziness, hearing loss with impairment (low voices are poorly distinguishable), sensitivity to noise, ringing in the ears, feeling of fullness of the ear and internal pressure in it, nausea.
In this case, the doctor often prescribes Betaserk. Instructions for use tell us that it helps with diseases of the maze, namely its dropsy. The structure of the active substance betahistine is similar to histamine, a natural mediator in the body.
What are the features of Betaserk? Instructions for use inform us that the medicine is absorbed very quickly and completely. In 3-4 hours, half is successfully excreted, and after 24 hours it completely leaves the body. That is, the help of betaserka is instantaneous, and at the same time, it does not have a damaging effect on the liver, it does not greatly increase the load on the kidneys.
How does betaserc work? Instructions for use say that it helps to dilate the vessels of the middle ear. As a result, the fluid pressure in the internal decreases, and the patient feels relief. It also increases the permeability of the vascular wall in the inner ear, and a lot of excess fluid begins to leave from there. In addition, betahistine affects the amount of serotonin in the brain, which makes the nucleus of the nerve responsible for balance adapt to the load, and the patient's symptoms are reduced.
Side effects of betaserc: migraine-type pain (but it also comes from the disease itself), mild stomach upsets, nausea (also associated with the disease), loss of appetite, which causes weight loss, an increase in allergy manifestations (the fact is that histamine, which betagistin is similar to, is a mediator of allergic processes as well.) Betaserk has been used for more than 40 years, but modern doctors always carefully evaluate the ratio of risk and benefits. As a rule, when taking this drug, it is recommended to exclude strong allergens: citrus fruits, eggs, strawberries. It is also undesirable to start drinking Betaserk in early spring and summer, because flowers and poplar fluff also produce quite a lot of allergens. As soon as betahistine is canceled, the symptoms immediately disappear, however, this is the best drug for the treatment of dropsy of the labyrinth, that is, Meniere's disease.
How should i take betaserc? Instructions for use stipulate that it is better to drink this medicine with food. Then there are fewer side effects from the gastrointestinal tract. Diarrhea and stomach pain are sometimes added to the nausea mentioned above. Often, the patient is reduced the dose to the minimum values, all the same, this causes relief of symptoms of the underlying disease.
Also, when taking betaserc, an increase in daytime drowsiness, a decrease in pressure (caution, hypotension!) And a disturbance in the rhythm in which the heart works are possible.
Patients with asthma should be extremely careful when taking the drug, since betahistine enhances the allergic component of the disease. Such patients usually take Betaserc under the supervision of a physician.
Absolute contraindications are gastric ulcer and adrenal system tumors. In this case, the doctor develops alternative treatment regimens, and the betaserk cannot be used.
Betagistin is also being investigated for use in mild forms of depression. Perhaps soon we will find out good news about him.