How to Diagnose Labyrinthitis

Labyrinthitis is an inflammation of the labyrinthine process in the inner ear. Bacteria or viruses cause it in conjunction with a local or systemic infection. Viral labyrinthitis is the most common form and occurs once in 10,000 people, but that rate increases to 1 in 4 for patients with herpes oticus.

Instructions

• 1

  Obtain a thorough medical history, including symptoms, past medical conditions and medications. This is essential because labyrinthitis has many possible causes.

• 2

  Observe symptoms of labyrinthitis. This most commonly consists of vertigo that is related to movement and head position. Highly variable types of hearing loss also are characteristic of labyrinthitis. Other signs include fullness in the ear, a ringing sound and discharge from the ear. The infection may cause nonspecific symptoms such as fever, nausea and vomiting.

• 3

  Perform a physical exam that includes the head and neck, especially the ears. An external examination of the ears may show signs of cellulitis, mastoiditis or prior surgery. The tympanic membrane may be perforated or have a cyst.

• 4

  Conduct specific laboratory tests to find a causative agent. Common viral causes of labyrinthitis include cytomegalovirus, mumps, varicella-zoster virus, rubella virus, influenza and herpes simplex virus 1. Potential bacterial causes are Staphylococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis.

• 5

  Take an audiogram whenever the patient may have labyrinthitis. Viral labyrinthitis commonly causes a mild to moderate hearing loss, especially in the higher frequencies. Serious bacterial labyrinthitis typically causes a unilateral high-frequency hearing loss, although it is frequently bilateral in cases of meningitis.