Understanding labyrinthitis: Symptoms, causes, and treatments
Understanding labyrinthitis: Symptoms, causes, and treatments
5 min.
Publication Date: September 10, 2025
Some health concerns build gradually over time, while others show up without warning. Labyrinthitis often falls into the second category. It’s an inner ear condition that can cause sudden dizziness, balance issues, or a spinning sensation that leaves you feeling disoriented and unsure of what’s happening.
If you’ve ever stood up and felt like the room shifted, or struggled with persistent ear pressure and imbalance, you might wonder whether it’s something serious or just a passing symptom. Knowing how labyrinthitis works—and when to follow up—can make the experience far less confusing and much easier to manage.
In this post, we’ll cover:
Note: Our Hearing Care Professionals (HCPs) are here to support your ear health and provide personalized guidance. However, if you're concerned about ear infections or other medical issues affecting your hearing, always consult with your healthcare provider as your first priority.
What is labyrinthitis?
Labyrinthitis is an inner ear condition that causes inflammation in the labyrinth, a part of the vestibular system responsible for both balance and hearing. When this area becomes irritated—most often due to a viral infection—it can trigger an inner ear imbalance that interferes with the signals your ear sends to your brain. This disruption can lead to symptoms like dizziness, vertigo, and even mild hearing loss.
Labyrinthitis typically affects one ear and can come on suddenly, often after a cold or respiratory illness. Although temporary in most cases, the sensation can feel intensely disorienting, especially in the first few days. Many people describe feeling as though their body and brain are out of sync even while sitting still. That mismatch between what your body is doing and what your brain perceives is part of what makes labyrinthitis so unsettling.
Labyrinthitis symptoms
Labyrinthitis symptoms often begin suddenly and can feel intense, especially if you don’t know what’s behind them. The most common sign is vertigo, a spinning or whirling sensation that can make it hard to stay balanced or walk comfortably. This may be accompanied by nausea, ear pressure, hearing changes, and general disorientation.
Some symptoms may pass within hours; others can linger for days and disrupt your daily routine. While everyone’s experience is slightly different, we often hear about symptoms including:
Needing to steady yourself just to walk down a hallway
Feeling nauseated from even slight head movements
Finding it difficult to focus or follow a conversation
Noticing pressure, ringing, or dull hearing in one ear
Others mention headaches, light sensitivity, or a faint, foggy feeling that comes and goes. If these symptoms persist, worsen, or begin to interfere with everyday life, it may be time to seek support from your healthcare provider.
Causes of labyrinthitis
Viral infections are one of the most common causes of dizziness, especially when they affect the inner ear. When your body is fighting off a cold, flu, or respiratory illness, inflammation can sometimes spread to the inner ear and disrupt how your balance system functions. In rare cases, a bacterial infection may be responsible, though this is usually more severe and may require medical treatment.
Other potential triggers include inner ear pressure imbalances, Eustachian tube dysfunction, and chronic nasal congestion—any of which can put added stress on the delicate structures of the inner ear. Lifestyle and health-related risk factors such as smoking, high stress levels, and certain autoimmune conditions may also increase your chances of developing labyrinthitis or worsening its effects.
Because symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and vertigo can overlap with other conditions, it isn’t always easy to pinpoint the exact cause. But if these symptoms occur after a respiratory illness, or if they’re accompanied by ear pressure or hearing changes, it’s worth speaking with a healthcare professional to explore the underlying cause and rule out more serious issues.
Labyrinthitis treatment
Most cases of labyrinthitis improve on their own within a few days to a couple of weeks. Rest, hydration, and time are the first and most important steps. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen can help relieve discomfort, and anti-nausea treatments may be prescribed if symptoms are more severe.
If balance problems linger, your healthcare provider may recommend activities to alleviate your symptoms, such as vestibular rehabilitation exercises. These gentle movements help retrain your brain to adjust to changes in inner ear function and can be especially helpful during recovery. Other day-to-day strategies can also support recovery:
Avoid sudden head movements while symptoms are active
Minimize screen time, which can worsen dizziness
Move slowly, especially when standing up or turning your head
Sleep with your head elevated to reduce pressure
Limit caffeine and alcohol, which can interfere with balance and hydration
Most people recover fully, though some may have occasional motion sensitivity afterward. If symptoms persist or impact your hearing, follow-up care—such as a hearing test—can help rule out other inner ear conditions.
Feeling off-balance? Here’s your next step
Labyrinthitis is temporary and treatable in most cases, but it can also be very unsettling. If you're experiencing vertigo, persistent imbalance, or other ear-related symptoms, it’s important to check in with your healthcare provider, especially if it begins to affect your hearing or quality of life.
As part of your recovery, or simply for added peace of mind, a hearing test can help identify whether your inner ear has been affected. It’s a quick, simple way to support your overall hearing health after an inner ear issue like labyrinthitis.
Book a free hearing test or find a Connect Hearing clinic near you to explore the next steps in your recovery.