Vestibular neuronitis
Introduction
Vestibular neuronitis, or neuritis, is an infection of the vestibular nerve in the inner ear. It causes the vestibular nerve to become inflamed, disrupting your sense of balance.
The term Labyrinthitis is often used to describe the same condition. However, people with labyrinthitis usually experience hearing loss as well as balance problems and dizziness.
In most cases, the symptoms of vestibular neuronitis pass within a few weeks. Treatment usually involves a combination of bed rest and medication at the start, followed by a gradual return to activity.
This topics covers:
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Chronic vestibular neuronitis
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 29 Jun 2016
Introduction
Vestibular neuronitis, or neuritis, is an infection of the vestibular nerve in the inner ear. It causes the vestibular nerve to become inflamed, disrupting your sense of balance.
Symptoms of vestibular neuronitis
The most common symptoms of vestibular neuronitis are dizziness and vertigo the sensation that you, or everything around you, is moving. This may cause you to feel nauseous or be sick, have difficul
Causes of vestibular neuronitis
The vestibular nerve usually becomes inflamed because of a viral infection, which may have started with a sore throat , cold or flu . Vestibular neuronitis can also be caused by a bacterial infectio
Diagnosing vestibular neuronitis
Many conditions can cause dizziness and vertigo. Your GP will usually diagnose vestibular neuronitis based on your symptoms, your medical history and a physical examination. You may be asked to move
Treating vestibular neuronitis
The symptoms of vestibular neuronitis usually settle over a few weeks, even without treatment. However, there are some self-help measures you can take to reduce the severity of your symptoms and help
Chronic vestibular neuronitis
A small number of people experience dizziness and vertigo for months or even years. This is sometimes known as chronic vestibular neuronitis. It happens when the vestibular nerve fails to recover and
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