Inner Ear Causing Dizziness

An infection in the inner ear causing dizziness along with a feeling of nausea and body imbalance occurs when the vestibulo-cochlear nerve gets swollen. It is through this nerve that the inner ear is connected to the brain and thus, is the carrier of signals from the ear to the brain. This condition of the inflammation of the vestibulo-cochlear nerve is known as Vestibular neuritis. Most of the time, only one ear is afflicted by this ear problem. Let us know in detail the symptoms, causes and treatments for Vestibular neuritis.

Vestibular Neuritis Symptoms
Inner ear dizziness symptoms often appear suddenly but sometimes a person might experience them upon waking up in the morning. Vestibular neuritis produces symptoms such as an intense vertigo which may continue for days together. Besides the inner ear causing dizziness, some other symptoms which are seen in this condition are vomiting, a feeling of nausea, imbalance and difficulty in concentrating. A person faces problems in sitting, standing and walking as well. If along with these symptoms, a person experiences hearing problems such as a hearing loss or a buzzing in ears, then he might be suffering from a condition called labyrinthitis.

Vestibular Neuritis Causes
Majority of the times, this condition occurs after a person has acquired a viral infection like a flu or a cold. This makes viruses one of the prime reasons behind inner ear causing dizziness symptoms. However, a virus is not the only reason why a person might suffer from Vestibular neuritis as some people may experience this condition even without any flu or cold symptoms.

People suffering from Vestibular neuritis often wonder how does dizziness occur from an inflammation of a nerve in the ear. The reason behind this is that when the vestibular nerve becomes swollen, it sends wrong signals to the brain implying that the body is moving, even when in reality it is not. Visually, a person does not see the body moving, hence the eyes signal the brain that the body is still. This confusion of signals makes the person feel imbalanced and that the space around him is spinning. This gives him a sensation of dizziness.

Vestibular Neuritis Treatment
As soon as a person feels his inner ear causing dizziness and other symptoms mentioned above, he should contact a doctor. The doctor will diagnose the problem looking at the symptoms. However, if he is not able to diagnose the exact cause, he may ask for an MRI scan of the head and also check the patients' eye movements.

Once Vestibular Disease has been diagnosed, the doctor recommends the patient to take complete bed rest for a couplThe doctor may suggest certain balance exercises e of days. Keeping the head still and not shaking or moving it, is advised. to keep the symptoms in check. Sometimes, the doctor recommends medications such as antihistamines as well as corticosteroids, which also help in minimizing the symptoms.

The inner ear causing dizziness and other symptoms due to Vestibular neuritis usually gets cured within a few weeks and rarely any permanent damage is experienced in the ear. However, if the symptoms of ear infection continue for months then a process called "compensation" in which vestibular rehabilitation exercises are undertaken so that the brain can adjust to the supposed body imbalances created by this condition, has to be initiated.