Inner
Ear Infection Symptoms Can Be Debilitating
As
a child, you may remember getting at least one bad earache.
That painful childhood earache you remember was probably
caused by a middle ear
infection. While middle ear infections are fairly common
in children, other parts of your ear may become infected
and inflamed as well. For example, you may come down with
an inner ear infection at any time during your life. Inner
ear infection symptoms are completely different from other
types of ear infections.
To
understand inner ear infection symptoms, also called labyrinthitis,
you first should know some basics about your inner ear.
Your inner ear contains a system of tubes and canals called
the labyrinth. The labyrinth sends signals to your brain
to help you do two different things: (1) comprehend sound,
and (2) determine the movement and position of your head.
When these tubes become infected and inflamed, you will
experience a specific set of inner ear infection symptoms.
A list of inner ear infection symptoms includes:
- Vertigo,
which is a sensation of whirling or spinning (different
from dizziness)
- Nausea
and vomiting (similar to feelings of motion sickness)
- Loss
of balance
- Headache
- A
ringing or rushing noise inside the ear called tinnitus
- Temporary
hearing loss
Inner
ear infection symptoms may become worse with any kind
of head movement such as sitting up, looking upward, or
rolling over in bed. At first, inner ear infection symptoms
last for a few days or a few weeks. However, it’s
possible for inner ear infection symptoms to return after
the initial symptoms go away. Perhaps most importantly,
inner ear infection symptoms may indicate brain tumors,
stroke, or meningitis. Therefore, if you or your child experiences
inner ear infection symptoms that are getting progressively
worse or will not subside, you should find out if the symptoms
indicate a more serious condition.
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