Labyrinthitis

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Ear anatomy

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Labyrinthitis

Alternative Names:

Bacterial labyrinthitis; Serous labyrinthitis

Symptoms:

dizziness
abnormal sensation of movement (vertigo)
- may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting
- may be severe
- may be continuous for up to a week at a time
- severe episodes may be followed by transient episodes for several weeks
loss of balance, especially falling toward the affected side
hearing loss in the affected ear
ringing or other noises in the ears (tinnitus)
involuntary eye movements (nystagmus)

Signs and tests:

An ear examination may not reveal any changes.

Differentiation from other causes of dizziness or vertigo may include:

head CT scan or MRI scan
hearing testing (audiology/audiometry)
caloric stimulation (tests reflexes of the eye)
electronystagmography
EEG, evoked auditory potential studies

Review Date: 7/8/2004
Reviewed By: Kevin Fung, MD, FRCS(C), Department of Otolaryngology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.