Labyrinthitis

Labyrinthitis – the disease which is characterized by defeat of internal peripheral departments of sound and vestibular analyzers. Quite often this disease arises at acute inflammations of a middle ear, tuberculosis of a middle ear or is a consequence of an injury.

Symptoms of a labyrinthitis and disease depend on concentration of process in an inner ear. Preferential the labyrinthitis is provoked by an upper respiratory tract infection (flu, a SARS). Sometimes the disease results from an infection of a middle ear. Seldom the labyrinthitis can be caused by a bacterial infection.

Types of a labyrinthitis

The disease is subdivided into the following types:

• Hematogenous labyrinthitis. At this form of a disease contagiums get into an inner ear together with a blood flow.
• Purulent – leukocytic infiltration endo-and perilymphas.
• Diffusion purulent or serous labyrinthitis which can extend to all departments of a bone labyrinth.
• Necrotic at which on a bone labyrinth and soft tissues there are sites of a necrosis.
• Meningogenny arising at meningitis. At this form of a disease the contagium gets from subarachnoid space through a water supply system of a snail.
• Limited labyrinthitis at which there is a defeat of a certain site of a wall of a bone labyrinth.
• Serous at which there is an increase in quantity of a perilympha and the labyrinth endosteum bulks up.
• Acute purulent or serous labyrinthitis at which disturbances of functions of an inner ear happen suddenly.
• Traumatic, being a consequence of an injury (at a gunshot wound, a fracture of base of the skull).
• Chronic labyrinthitis when disturbance of functions of an inner ear happens gradually.

Labyrinthitis symptoms

As it was already told above, symptoms of a labyrinthitis and weight of disease in many respects depend on process localization.

As a rule, at the initial stages of a disease the irritation of a labyrinth showing in the following signs is noted: nausea, dizziness, sonitus, decrease in hearing, vomiting, disorder of balance. Intensity of dizziness depends on a labyrinthitis form. Disorder of balance is observed as at rest, and when walking.

At a serous labyrinthitis such pathological changes as formation of hypostasis in soft parts of a labyrinth and emergence of exudate are observed. If the labyrinthitis passes without complications, then exudate rezorbtsirutsya gradually.

At a limited labyrinthitis presence of a fistula which preferential is located on the horizontal channel is quite often observed. At a purulent form of a disease a symptom of a labyrinthitis is fervescence. And at a diffusion purulent labyrinthitis often there is such complication as total loss of hearing.

If the disease is followed by meningitis and abscess of a cerebellum, then diagnosis of a labyrinthitis is extremely difficult.

At a serous or limited labyrinthitis partial safety of functions of vestibular and cochlear devices is characteristic. At full dissonance of their functions it is possible to speak about a diffusion and purulent labyrinthitis.

Diagnosis of a labyrinthitis

Examination of the patient is conducted after his appeal to hospital with certain complaints. Sometimes apply special tests to identification of the reason of dizziness, but if it does not help to establish the exact reason, as a rule, appoint additional inspection.

At diagnosis of a labyrinthitis an important role is played by the next researches:

• Magnetic and resonant research and computer tomography. By means of these methods it is possible to see whether there is any pathology of a brain.
• Elektronistagmografiya. By means of electrodes registration of the movement of eyeglobes is carried out. If injury of an inner ear is the reason of dizziness, then eyeballs make certain movements. If dizziness is caused by injury of the central nervous system, then eyeballs make other types of movements.
• Hearing research – one more method for detection of a hearing disorder. Here it is possible to carry the BAYER and BSER methods, the test reply of acoustical department of a brainstem which help to define whether the nerve passing from an inner ear to a brain normally works.
• Audiometriya – the method helping to define how well the person hears.

Treatment of a labyrinthitis

After diagnosis of a labyrinthitis and confirmation of the diagnosis of the patient without fail hospitalize. At treatment of a labyrinthitis the patient has to be under careful control of the attending physician. Absolute rest and an easy diet is recommended to the patient (electrolyte-deficient and anhydrous). For pressure decrease in a labyrinth to the patient appoint urotropin and glucose. The main drugs at treatment of a labyrinthitis are antibiotics which choice depends on sensitivity of flora of a middle ear to them.

At a serous form treatment of a labyrinthitis consists in recovery of function of an ear and the prevention of transition of this form to purulent.

At an acute purulent form of a labyrinthitis it is necessary to provide to the patient normal outflow of pus. It becomes by separation of new fabrics from preweb space.

At a limited labyrinthitis for full treatment it is necessary to provide healing of a fistula with a connecting or bone tissue. As a rule, for this purpose perform surgery when from area of a temple delete the pathological center.

For treatment of a labyrinthitis of a hematogenous and meningogenny form appoint antibiotics of a broad spectrum of activity.

Prevention of a labyrinthitis

For prevention of this disease it is necessary to take the appropriate measures for the prevention of the general infectious diseases, and also to treat timely any inflammations of a middle ear.