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- What is labyrinthitis?
- Symptoms of labyrinthitis
- Causes of labyrinthitis
- Prevention of labyrinthitis
- Risk factors for labyrinthitis
- Complications of labyrinthitis
- When to see a doctor about labyrinthitis
- Diagnosis of labyrinthitis
- Conventional treatment of labyrinthitis
- Alternative/complementary treatment of labyrinthitis
- Living with labyrinthitis
- Caring for someone with labyrinthitis
Labyrinthitis is a disorder which affects the inner ear that causes swelling, inflammation and irritation.
The middle ear is also known as the labyrinth, so inflammation of the labyrinth is called labyrinthitis (the "itis" means inflammation).
Labyrinthitis seems to occur after a viral infection of the ear or an upper respiratory infection (usually caused by a virus), which can also affect the delicate middle ear.
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 temporary loss of balance and loss of hearing are generally the main symptoms of labyrinthitis.
Facts about labyrinthitis
- Labyrinthitis is normally caused by a viral infection
- Labyrinthitis causes vertigo (or dizziness) symptoms quite commonly
- The immune system is usually effective at healing the labyrinthitis within a few weeks after it starts
- Some people experience many episodes of labyrinthitis throughout their life
- Antibiotics are useless as a form of treatment for labyrinthitis, because the inflammation is generally caused by a virus and antibiotics do nothing to viruses
- Labyrinthitis is part of a larger group of disorders known as vertiginous syndrome, which also includes the following: benign positional vertigo, Meniere disease and vestibular disorders
- Labyrinthitis can cause permanent hearing damage (hearing loss) or even permanent loss of balance if it is not treated promptly
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