Many times, we don’t understand how one part of the body can affect a completely different one. This is the case of labyrinthitis, for example, which is an ear disease that affects structures responsible mainly for hearing and balance. The disease is more famous for its association with vertigo and dizziness.

About the Name Labyrinthitis

An interesting fact is that the name labyrinthitis is not actually the correct term for the disease, as it is the name of only one type of labyrinthopathy. Even so, since the term has become popular and is how we commonly refer to the disease, it’s much easier to call it labyrinthitis. To better understand this disease, we need to understand some concepts such as which are the risk groups, how to treat labyrinthitis, what types of labyrinthitis exist, and how it happens. This way, we can distinguish and identify its suspicion in ourselves, although visiting a doctor is essential.

Why Does Labyrinthitis Happen?

Understanding how the disease occurs is important for understanding how treatment is done and when cases can be more serious. Our ear has a structure called the labyrinth, which consists of the cochlea, responsible for hearing, and the vestibule which is responsible for our balance. Labyrinthitis basically occurs because when one or both of these parts are not working correctly, they can send incorrect information to the brain about the body’s position in space, causing the affected person to lose balance and experience the various symptoms of the disease described in the next topic.

Symptoms of Labyrinthitis

Although there are different types of labyrinthitis, the symptoms of all of them are quite similar, since they end up affecting and damaging the same structures responsible for hearing and balance.

Main Signs

It may be that in a certain type of labyrinthitis, some symptoms stand out, although this is not a rule. The main symptoms of any type of labyrinthitis are:

  • Sensation of vertigo
  • Ringing in the ear
  • Body instability
  • Seeing things blurry or spinning
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Sensation of pressure in the ear

Types of Labyrinthitis

We can classify three types of labyrinthitis, which have different origins and types of treatment. They are:

  • Emotional Labyrinthitis
  • Viral Labyrinthitis
  • Bacterial Labyrinthitis

We will talk in more detail about each one to better understand their causes and treatments.

Emotional Labyrinthitis

Emotional labyrinthitis has dizziness and vertigo as its main symptoms and usually affects people between 40 and 50 years old. Among the causes of this type of labyrinthitis, stress, anxiety, and depression are the biggest factors. The disease tends to be a consequence of previous emotional problems that may eventually arise because of age. It is very important to know when labyrinthitis has emotional causes because, in addition to treating its symptoms, it’s important that the underlying cause is addressed, both to relieve labyrinthitis itself and to prevent other diseases from developing.

Viral Labyrinthitis

Viral labyrinthitis is – as its name suggests – the type of labyrinthitis caused by a virus. In at least 50% of cases, the patient reports having had a respiratory problem in recent times such as pharyngitis, sinusitis, or even the flu.

Bacterial Labyrinthitis

This is the rarest type of labyrinthitis and usually occurs after cases of otitis or bacterial meningitis. It is also a more serious case and should be treated more cautiously because, in certain situations, it can lead to permanent deafness.

Causes of Labyrinthitis

As we have seen, labyrinthitis can arise in various ways, whether from emotional factors or in viral and bacterial form. However, these viruses and bacteria often come along with other diseases before reaching the labyrinth, just as emotional illnesses also usually appear before a person starts to exhibit symptoms of emotional labyrinthitis. The main diseases that cause labyrinthitis are:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Bronchitis
  • Otitis
  • Meningitis
  • Herpes
  • Ear infections

By recognizing the types of diseases that cause labyrinthitis, we can also better understand how the disease is divided into three groups and which diseases pose a greater risk to our health.

Risk Factors for Labyrinthitis

In addition to the various causes and types of labyrinthitis, there are other factors that contribute to triggering the disease. People who are in this risk group can develop labyrinthitis more acutely and with more difficult treatment; that’s why it is so important to know this information. The main risk factors are:

  • Excessive stress
  • Excessive use of cigarettes and alcohol
  • Too much caffeine
  • Having diseases such as diabetes, otitis, high cholesterol, hypoglycemia, and hypertension.

Someone who has any of these habits or diseases needs to pay more attention if they notice symptoms of labyrinthitis.

Treatments for Labyrinthitis

For labyrinthitis to be properly treated, it’s important, first, to know its cause and what type of labyrinthitis we are dealing with, as the treatment may vary. First, the approach is to treat the symptoms directly to relieve people of dizziness and vertigo.

Is There a Cure?

This treatment does not cure the disease itself, but it’s necessary so that the disease can be fully cured. Depending on the level of dizziness a person has, the length of treatment may vary. Many people think they are cured after their symptoms are relieved and end up returning to the doctor because of a relapse. This happens because treatment is not just about relieving the symptoms. It’s also necessary to address the underlying cause, whether it is a bacterium, a virus, or an emotional factor. Thus, the medicines to be taken will differ, and even the types of doctors a person needs to see will differ. Emotional labyrinthitis, for example, will not have the same treatment for the cause as viral or bacterial labyrinthitis. Finally, it is always important to consult a speech therapist for an evaluation and rehabilitation of the labyrinth, which is often the main step to prevent the disease from manifesting again.

How to Prevent Labyrinthitis?

There are some precautions you can take to avoid getting labyrinthitis, or at least prevent it from appearing so severely. Many of them are related to everyday habits that can be done calmly. Some of them are:

  • Eat a healthy diet
  • Exercise regularly
  • Do not use drugs

Small things in your daily routine can help you avoid the disease and its complications, as well as have a healthier life, of course. Today, labyrinthitis is a disease that affects more than 30% of the Brazilian population, which is a considerable number, especially if we take into account that the disease is not one of the best known in the country. The risk exists and, even with these forms of prevention that we discussed here, there is still a chance of developing the disease. Although it is bothersome and causes a lot of worry, people who take preventive measures and who are not in the risk group for the disease usually get it in a milder form, which, besides being easier to treat, also does not bother the affected person so much. See Also: Why Do We Get Dizziness During Pregnancy? Photo: Nevit Dilmen