The above image shows an inflammed labyrinth

(healthofchildren.com)

Labyrinthitis

Overview

Labyrinth"itis" is an inflammation of the labyrinth structure in the inner ear. The labyrinth is made up of what we recognize as the cochlea and semi-circular canals. As we learned in class, the cochlea is responsible for hearing, and the semi-circular canals appear as loops that control our equilibrium and balance. The semi-circular canals are then connected to the vestibule, which sends information to the brain on positioning and movement of your head. If their is a problem with the vestibule, this can cause a problem in the information that gets transmitted to the brain. The eyes also transmit information to the brain about postioning and movement of the head. If their is a miscommunication between the labyrinth and the eyes, this could make a person feel as if they are spinning or moving, when actually they are not.

Causes of Labyrinthitis

Viral illness

Trauma or injury to head or ear

Bacterial infections

Allergies

Benign tumor of the middle ear

Symptoms

Vertigo - most common

Nausea

Vomiting

Loss of balance

Mild headache

Tinnitus (ringing noise)

Hearing loss

Treatment

Labyrinthitis like other infections usually goes away within a couple weeks. However, some symptoms may need to be treated with an antibiotic prescribed by the doctor. These antibiotics could include: Antihistamines, Compazine to help with the nausea and/or vomiting, Meclizine or Scopalamine to help with dizziness, and possibly a sedative such as Diazepam.

References

McBride, J. (2010) CT/MR internal auditory canals/temporal bones.

Simic, J., MD. (2010) Labyrinthitis. emedicinehealth.com. Retrieved February 11, 2010 from

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/labyrinthitis/page12_em.htm

Labyrinthitis image. (2010). Google images. Retrieved February 11, 2010 from healthofchildren.com.