Menière’s disease patient Mr Stephen Spring has written a blog advising fellow Australians with the condition how to access the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The patient perspective blog was published on 5 August 2025 on the Vestibular Disorders Association (VEDA) website, an American non-profit corporation which provides information and resources for people affected by vestibular disorders.
Spring is an expert patient advocate on Menière’s and a former vice president of the now defunct Ménière’s Disease Research Fund at the University of Sydney. He is authorised by the NSW Supreme Court to practise law as an agent.
He said that while no non-government advocacy group exists to provide NDIS information in one place, VEDA was assisting Australians navigating applications with his blog including what to do if an application for NDIS from Meniere’s Disease (MD) is refused.
“Australia has a legal definition of MD, but there is currently no patient-centred or advocacy organisation since Whirled Foundation ceased operations in 2018,” he said.
“On 24 June 2024, 20 petitions were tabled in (the Australian) Parliament seeking support regarding eligibility for the Disability Support Pension for people living with vertigo and Ménière’s disease.”
Spring’s blog, which includes links to definitions and guidelines, helps Australians with the condition understand their rights to access diagnoses, benefits, and treatment with the support of legal definitions and advocacy.
“Ménière’s disease (MD) causes episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus, which can seriously impact daily life,” he wrote. “Navigating the Australian healthcare and social support systems to obtain the correct diagnosis, treatment, and disability support can also be challenging.”
He said if people with MD were seeking disability benefits, medical tests, or insurance coverage, it was important to understand how Australia legally defines MD and what steps may need to be taken to access support.
In Australia, he said MD is officially defined in legal and medical terms as:
- A condition that affects both hearing and balance organs (the cochlea and vestibular system) on the same side of the head.
- Symptoms must include episodic vertigo, sensorineural hearing loss, and/or tinnitus, all occurring on one side.
- The condition includes primary endolymphatic hydrops (fluid imbalance in the inner ear) but excludes vestibular migraine.
This definition appears in multiple legal documents.
Different subtypes and causes
“Researchers have identified subtypes, and matching the proper treatment often depends on knowing what kind(s) you have,” Spring wrote on the blog.
“These subtypes are linked to different causes, such as autoimmune conditions, infection, or prior ear injuries.”
He said accessing disability benefits or support through Centrelink or other agencies may require proof that one or more of the following conditions existed before the diagnosis or worsening of the condition. These include:
- A moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.
- A diagnosis of otosyphilis in the affected ear.
- An autoimmune condition such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
- Past inner or middle ear surgery.
- Use of medications like hydroxychloroquine or certain antibiotics.
- Lack of access to appropriate medical care before the condition worsened.
These factors help build a “reasonable hypothesis” that MD is linked to certain life events or conditions, he wrote. This is often enough for administrative approval and people won’t need to prove MD beyond reasonable doubt unless their claim is denied, he added.
Spring said Australians with MD may also qualify for the Disability Support Pension but it was not a self-assessment process. People needed a formal medical diagnosis, supporting evidence from healthcare providers and in some cases, representation if the claim is denied.
“MD is now widely recognised in Australian law as a disabling condition,” he said on the blog. “Thanks to decades of medical research and legal advocacy, Australians with MD have pathways to receive diagnoses, treatment, testing, and benefits, but it’s not always straightforward.”
He advised patients to seek medical advice, collect documentation, and consider advocacy support if the claim is denied.
Spring said Ménière’s disease (MD) affects about one in 600 Australians, with some becoming disabled.
Read the VEDA blog.
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