| Labyrinthitis | |||||
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- What is labyrinthitis?
- Symptoms of labyrinthitis
- Causes of labyrinthitis
- Treatment of labyrinthitis
- Important labyrinthitis facts
Labyrinthitis is a disorder which affects the inner ear that causes swelling, inflammation and irritation.
Labyrinthitis seems to occur after a viral infection of the ear or an upper respiratory infection, which can also affect the delicate middle ear.
The middle ear is also known as the labrynth, so inflammation of the labyrinth is called labyrinthitis (the "itis" means inflammation).
The middle ear contains the hearing and balance organs, such as the cochlea, which contains the hearing organ that converts sounds that the brain interprets through nervous impulses.
Since the middle ear contains the hearing and balance organs, this is the reason why loss of balance and hearing are symptoms of labyrinthitis.
- Dizziness
- Hearing loss (usually temporary, but can be permanent)
- Feeling unbalanced
- Lethargy
- Nausea
- Ringing or other noises in the ear (tinnitus)
- Vertigo
- Vomiting
The cause of labyrinthitis is not known, but what scientists do know, is that it is more common after:
- Allergy (such as allergic rhinnitis)
- Cold or flu infection (caused by a virus)
- Middle ear infection (otitis media)
- Bacterial infection of the upper respiratory system (less common)
Diagnosis and testing
Labyrinthitis is initially diagnosed through the following methods:
- Hearing test - to make sure there is no hearing loss
- History of symptoms - your doctor will ask a series of questions about the symptoms
- Physical examination - the ear will be examined and will also try to reproduce symptoms by moving your head from side to side really quickly (but safely)
- Other tests - other tests such as MRI and CAT scans can be performed to get an image of the middle ear
- Referrals - if symptoms do not resolve, a referral is given to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist
Conventional treatment
Labyrinthitis normally resolves by itself within a few weeks, but sometimes medication is required when symptoms are severe:
- Medication - there are several medications which are normally prescribed for labyrinthitis
(sometimes more than one medication may be prescribed)
- Antibiotics - if a bacterial infection is suspected antibiotics will be prescribed
- Anticholinergics - these drugs are prescribed to block the nerve impulses that
- Anti-nausea - to reduce the symptoms of nausea and/or vomiting
- Corticosteroids - to reduce inflammation
- Sedatives - to reduce anxiety (if it is present), vomiting and nausea
- Vestibular suppresants - to reduce dizziness symptoms
- Other treatment - certain other positional therapy can help
- Avoid bright lights - this may exacerbate symptoms
- Balance exercise - to help the middle ear get better
- More fluids - drink more water to help hydrate the middle ear
- Rest - this will give the body the best chance to heal itself
- Sit still - moving the head around can cause exacerbation of symptoms
Alternative / complementary treatment
Always ensure that you notify your medical practitioner of any supplements that you want to take - it may interfere with other medication or conditions you have. Confirm with your doctor it is safe to take BEFORE you try it.
- Diet - certain dietary changes may help with some of the symptoms
- Avoid alcohol - heavy drinking is a risk factor for developing labyrinthitis, so limiting alcohol intake is advisable
- Eat more vegetables - eating vegetables will provide more nutrients necessary for helping the body to heal
- Limit processed foods - these cause a burden on the body to try to digest them
- Regulate sugar intake - excess sugar can cause feelings or dizziness as can low sugar levels, so it is advised to eat a balanced diet
- Stop smoking - smoking is a risk factor for developing labyrinthitis, so cutting down on smoking (or even preferably quitting) is advisable
- Herbs - some herbs help to alleviate symptoms
- Echinacea - has anti-viral properties which may assist with an infection of viral origin
- Ginger - studies show ginger may assist with symptoms of nausea to reduce severity
- Ginkgo biloba - may assist with reducing dizziness and feelings of being unbalanced
- Olive leaf - has anti-viral properties which may assist with an infection of viral origin
- Slippery elm - may assist with stomach queasiness and nausea symptoms
- Lifestyle - certain lifestyle modifications can improve or reduce symptoms
- Avoid bright lights - which may exacerbate symptoms
- Balance exercises - to help the middle ear get better and get balance in alignment
- More fluids - drink more water to help hydrate the middle ear
- Rest - sleeing, lying down and doing nothing will give the body the best chance to heal itself
- Sit still - moving the head around a lot, or having a lot of sudden activity of the head can cause exacerbation of symptoms
- Minerals - some minerals may reduce symptoms
and recurrence
- Magnesium - magnesium relaxes the tissues in the body, so may help with feelings of stress and anxiety associated with long-term symptoms
- Zinc - studies show this antioxidant mineral may help the body heal more quickly from infection, so reducing symptoms
- Nutrients - there are various nutrients available that may reduce symptoms
- Alpha-lipoic acid - has potent antioxidant properties which studies have shown can reduce severity of symptoms
- Garlic - has potent anti-viral, anti-bacterial properties and may assist with healing more quickly, reducing symptoms
- Omega 3 fatty acids - can assist with people who have lots of ear wax that cause be causing problems
- Vitamins - some vitamins have properties which may help with symptoms, especally the
antioxidants which studies show may reduce damage to the middle ear due to oxidative stress
- Bioflavonoids - together with vitamin C have antioxidant properties that help with healing
- Vitamin B6 - studies show vitamin B6 helps to reduce symptoms of dizziness and nausea
- Vitamin C - together with bioflavonoids have antioxidant properties that studies show help with healing
- Vitamin E - studies show this antioxadant vitamin helps wth quicker healing and reducing symptoms
- Labyrinthitis can cause permanent hearing damage or even permanent loss of balance
- Labyrinthitis normally heals by itself within a few weeks
- Some people experience many episodes of labyrinthitis
Last reviewed: 14 January 2007 || Last updated: 21 August 2007
Related Articles
references
- Du Y, Wu X, Li L. Mechanisms of bacterial meningitis-related deafness. Drug Discovery Today: Disease Mechanisms, 2006; 3(1): Pages 115-118
- Osiecki H. The Physicans Handbook of Clininical Nutrition, 6th Edition. Bioconcepts Publishing QLD, 2001
- Takumida M, Anniko M. Radical scavengers: A remedy for presbyacusis. A pilot study. Acta Oto-Laryngologica, 2005; 125(12):1290-1295
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
