A Descriptive Phenomenological Study on the Self-Management Experiences of Patients with Meniere’s Disease

This study explored the lived experiences of patients with Ménière’s disease (MD), focusing on how they perceive their condition, implement self-management strategies, and adapt to life amid unpredictable symptoms. A descriptive phenomenological qualitative design was employed. Four adults diagnosed with MD for more than 1 year, who possessed extensive self-management experience, were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured, in-depth interviews and analyzed according to Colaizzi’s seven-step procedure. Analysis identified two core dimensions and four main categories. The first dimension included two categories: 1) experiences of suffering and confusion, encompassed the unknown suffering of MD (including unpredictable symptoms, invisible inner distress, and disruption of daily life) and 2) the fracture of life and social isolation arising from diagnostic chaos and misunderstanding of the invisible illness. The second dimension included two categories: 3) adaptation and reconstruction of life, comprised the active rebuilding of shattered daily life through self-management strategies and 4) the psychological acceptance and reinterpretation of life through coexistence with illness. Self-management was not merely symptom control but a holistic process of reorganizing physical, emotional, and social life through active rehabilitation (including hearing aids) and online peer support. Self-management for MD patients is a multidimensional adaptation process. Clinical practice should move beyond simple medical prescriptions toward an integrated support system encompassing holistic patient education reflecting the patient’s life context, professional auditory rehabilitation, and peer support utilizing online communities. Future development of artificial intelligence-assisted peer support programs warrants further investigation within a multidisciplinary framework.