Inner Ear Infection

Our ear consists of three parts - the outer ear, middle ear and the inner ear. The inner ear is made up of the labyrinth, which is a network of fluid-filled passages. The labyrinth has two main parts - the cochlea, and the vestibule and semicircular canals. While the cochlea is responsible for hearing by sensing sound, the vestibular system is entrusted with balance, as it senses the movement of the head. In short, the inner ear senses the sound as well as movement and sends messages to the brain. The brain analyzes the message by combining it with messages from other body parts. So a disruption in the message from one body part can cause problems. In case of inner ear infection, the labyrinth gets infected and inflamed. This condition leads to disruption of messages from the inner ear to the brain, resulting in infection of the inner ear.

Causes and Symptoms

Most cases of inner ear infection are caused by viral attack, but in rare cases, bacterial infection can also lead to this condition. It has been observed that viral infections like cold and flu are often followed by infection of the inner ear. An upper respiratory tract infection may also cause this condition. Other causes are head injury, allergy to certain medication, extreme stress, benign tumor in the middle ear and alcohol abuse. One of the main inner ear infection symptoms is vertigo, which is characterized by spinning and whirling, when the body is actually at rest. Vertigo is a type of dizziness, which is associated with balance disorder. Dizziness may start all of a sudden and maybe accompanied with nausea, vomiting or stomach upset. A person with severe vertigo may not be able to walk or stand. Another possible symptom is tinnitus, wherein the affected person experiences a ringing or rushing noise in the ear. Severe cases may cause sudden hearing loss too.

Inner Ear Infection Treatment

Most of the affected people recover without any treatment and retain normal hearing and balance. If the symptoms do not subside within a few weeks, you must approach an ENT specialist or neurologist and get yourself checked. The doctors will be able to figure out the condition from your symptoms and history. In addition to this, hearing tests, balance tests, CT or CAT scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, eye tests and brain function tests, may also be conducted to rule out the possibilities of other medical conditions that can cause the same symptoms. While bacterial infections (occur rarely) are treated with antibiotics, in case of inner ear viral infections, antibiotics are not effective and the treatment is mainly aimed at alleviating the symptoms. However, inner ear infection can cause permanent loss of hearing and/or balance. It will be better to avoid going outdoors, walking and driving, so as to avoid falls, injuries and accidents. If the symptoms do not subside with treatment and rest, you must consult your doctor.

Inner ear infection or labyrinthitis is not a life-threatening condition. In most cases it resolves within a few weeks, as the immune system takes care of the infection, but, severe cases have to be treated at the earliest, so as to avoid complications like hearing and balance loss.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice. Visiting your physician is the safest way to diagnose and treat any health condition.