Labyrinthitis

Description:

The labyrinthitis is the inflammation of an inner ear which is often a complication of an infection of a middle ear (average otitis). It is usually caused by spread of a bacterial or viral infection from the head or airways in an inner ear.
The labyrinth represents group of the interconnected channels, cameras located in an inner ear. It consists of a snail and semicircular channels. The snail participates in sound transmission in a brain. Semicircular channels transfer information on position of the head and its movements to a brain. The brain uses this information for balance maintenance. The labyrinthitis is an inflammation of a labyrinth. The most frequent symptom is dizziness as a labyrinth, namely semicircular channels, send information on position of the head to a brain.
The labyrinthitis meets after the postponed infection of a middle ear, meningitis or an upper respiratory tract infection. It can also happen after an injury, because of a tumor or after influence of toxics. It is considered that women, than at the man get sick more often.

Labyrinthitis reasons:

The labyrinthitis is caused by the infectious activator which gets to a labyrinth one of three "routes":
1. Bacteria can extend from the middle of an ear or a meninx.
2. Some viruses, for example, viruses of epidemic parotitis, measles, flu can reach an inner ear after the postponed upper respiratory tract infection.
3. The virus of a rubella can cause a labyrinthitis in children till the birth.

Toxins, tumors in an ear, ear injuries, and sometimes and high doses of drugs or an allergy can become the reason of a labyrinthitis.

Labyrinthitis symptoms:

The main symptoms of a labyrinthitis are dizziness and a hearing loss, and also feeling of a ring in ears. Dizziness arises because the inner ear manages sense of equilibrium, and also hearing. Some people also feel nausea and vomiting. The bacterial labyrinthitis can lead to allocations from an ear.
If at the patient dizziness, especially together with nausea, vomiting or a hearing loss is observed, it is necessary to see a doctor urgently.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosis a labyrinthitis is based on a combination of symptoms, the anamnesis of a disease, especially the anamnesis of the last postponed upper respiratory tract infections. The doctor checks hearing of the patient, carries out allocation of the activator from allocations from an ear and the analysis of its sensitivity to treatment.
If necessary it is possible to carry out a computer or magnetic resonance tomography to exclude other possible reasons of dizziness, such as tumors.

Treatment of a labyrinthitis:

If the bacterial agent appears the reason of a labyrinthitis, the patient should appoint antibiotics. However antibiotics cannot cure viral infections. Surgery can be required by some patients. If the tumor was the reason, treatment will depend on a basic disease.
As in most cases the labyrinthitis is allowed in itself, treatment is directed to elimination of symptoms. Drugs can be appointed for the purpose of reduction of dizziness and nausea. If the vomiting arising at a labyrinthitis is expressed strongly, intravenous injections of liquid are necessary.
The patient with a labyrinthitis it is necessary to observe a bed rest, there will not pass dizziness yet.
Most of people are completely recovered after the postponed labyrinthitis though can pass from five to six weeks until dizziness completely disappears. In certain cases, the hearing loss can become a constant. The resistant hearing loss is more widespread in cases of a labyrinthitis which is caused by bacteria. Episodes of dizziness can remain with some people within several months after recovery.