Symptoms of Inner Ear Problems

Ear is one of the vital organs in human body. It comprises three major parts such as outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. The outer ear includes pinna and ear canal. It is separated from middle ear by an eardrum. The middle ear is an air-filled space, present behind the eardrum. It consists of three small bones namely incus, malleus and stapes. The inner ear consists of hearing and balance organs. There may be various problems associated with inner ear. Inner ear infection is one of the most common inner ear problems.

Inner Ear Problems

Inner ear infections are also called as otitis interna or labyrinthitis. These infections are generally caused by the infection in other body parts such as sinus or throat infection. Inner ear infections are viral infections and may accompany some other illnesses such as influenza, mumps and measles. Some other inner ear problems are autoimmune inner ear disease, acoustic neuroma, Meniere’s disease, ototoxicity, perilymph fistula, migraine associated vertigo, silent seizures and allergies.

Symptoms of Inner Ear Problems

The inner ear symptoms may vary in severity from person to person. Some of the general symptoms of inner ear problems are dizziness, vomiting, nausea, ringing in the ear (tinnitus) and hearing loss. Hearing loss is common in case of inner ear infections. Ringing in the ear as well as other sounds such as popping, cracking, or clicking sounds are also very common. You may experience a lot of pressure and pain in your ears. There may be intolerance to loud noise.

There may be vision disturbance. You may experience blurry or double vision with sensitivity to bright light. Some people may experience bouncing or jumping vision. Any visual stimulation can trigger dizziness. There may be muscle and joint pain. Patient complains of neck pain, headache and leg stiffness along with a tingling sensation on the top of the head, arms, and sometimes, legs.

There may be some emotional problems such as anxiety and panic attacks. Person may feel depressed, tired and frustrated. He/she may lose interest in routine activities.

Some other symptoms of inner ear problems are motion sickness, confusion, forgetfulness, slurred speech, heat and cold intolerance, fatigue and flu-like symptoms.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Inner Ear Problems

Inner ear problems can be diagnosed on the basis of hearing test, Electronystagmography (ENG), ECOG, Posturography or Platform test, the Rotary Chair test and imaging tests such as X-ray, CT scan and MRI scan.

Almost for all inner ear problems, it is recommended to have low salt, caffeine-free diet. Excess sugar in the diet triggers dizziness. In case of Meniere’s disease or endolymphatic hydrops, diuretics are given to eliminate excess fluid retention. A low-salt diet is recommended. Certain medications such as benzodiazepine drugs are useful in treating inner ear problems. Botox injections are also helpful to relieve the symptoms of tinnitus. Vestibular therapy is found to be effective in many people with inner ear problems. Before taking any treatment, you should consult your physician.