Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesCausesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentSelf-CareComplicationsPreventionWhen to See a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Causes
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Self-Care
Complications
Prevention
When to See a Provider
The inner ear is the most complex area of the ear, made up of spirals, canals, and chambers that help process sound. These structures also hold fluids and help regulate your sense of balance.Your ears can become infected with bacteria and viruses, causing inflammation or infection and affecting your hearing and balance.
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What Is an Ear Infection?
Types of Inner Ear Infections
The ear hasthree distinct sections: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. Ear infections are classified based on where they develop and which part of the ear is most affected.Theinner earis the most complex part of the ear. Its spiral, canal, and chamber structures help process sound, hold fluids, and help regulate your sense of balance.
These symptoms can come on suddenly but improve after just a few days.
Vestibular Neuritis
Vestibular neuritis is inflammation that impacts the eighth cranial nerve—yourvestibular nerve. The vestibular nerve carries signals about balance and equilibrium from your inner ear to your brain. Inflammation can disrupt the flow of these signals and cause symptoms like:
What Causes Ear Infections?
What Causes an Inner Ear Infection
Some of the viruses and bacterial causes linked to vestibular neuritis include:
Chronic inflammatory diseases can also play a big role in the development of vestibular neuritis. Examples include:
Inner Ear Infection Symptoms
The most noticeablesymptomsthat can develop with an inner ear infection include:
Inner Ear Infections in ChildrenMost ear infections in babies and toddlers involve the middle ear, but inner ear infections are also possible. Sinceinfantsand young children may not be able to vocalize their symptoms or demonstrate balance problems, some signs that a child may have an ear infection include:Crying or fussingDifficulty sleepingFeverFluid draining from the earTugging at the earAs with adults, antibiotics may help in some cases, but ear infections will generally resolve on their own. Supportive care for pain, nausea, and other related symptoms can help.
Inner Ear Infections in Children
Most ear infections in babies and toddlers involve the middle ear, but inner ear infections are also possible. Sinceinfantsand young children may not be able to vocalize their symptoms or demonstrate balance problems, some signs that a child may have an ear infection include:Crying or fussingDifficulty sleepingFeverFluid draining from the earTugging at the earAs with adults, antibiotics may help in some cases, but ear infections will generally resolve on their own. Supportive care for pain, nausea, and other related symptoms can help.
Most ear infections in babies and toddlers involve the middle ear, but inner ear infections are also possible. Sinceinfantsand young children may not be able to vocalize their symptoms or demonstrate balance problems, some signs that a child may have an ear infection include:
As with adults, antibiotics may help in some cases, but ear infections will generally resolve on their own. Supportive care for pain, nausea, and other related symptoms can help.
How Are Inner Ear Infections Diagnosed?
Healthcare providers cannot look at the inner ear during an exam as they would the outer portions of the ear. To get a perspective of what may be occurring inside the ear, a provider may ask you to perform various movements of your eyes, head, and body so they can assess your hearing and balance to diagnose an inner ear infection. Abnormal balance and eye movements can sometimes appear alongside vestibular problems.
How Are Inner Ear Infections Treated?
If your healthcare provider suspects a bacterial infection is causing your inner ear infection, they may prescribeantibiotics. However, antibiotics will not cure a viral infection. Steroids can help reduce inflammation to relieve symptoms, but supportive care is usually the most effective treatment.
If you are experiencing dizziness or vertigo, you might need medication for nausea or assistive devices to help you walk and prevent injury.Vestibular rehabilitationthat involve certain exercises to improve balance and compensation strategies for more chronic cases can also help.
If a chronic disease is the source of your inner ear infection or inflammation, your specialist who manages those conditions may also be able to suggest some symptom relief.
Self-Care for Inner Ear Infections
Home remedies for inner ear infections aren’t meant to be curative, but they do fall under the umbrella of supportive care. Below are some examples.
12 Home Remedies for Ear Infections
Possible Complications and Long-Term Effects
Repeated inner ear infections can have long-term impacts on your hearing if left untreated. Vertigo or dizziness can also carry complications if you don’t take steps to find your balance and reduce your risk of falls.
What’s more concerning with some inner ear problems is that they are often linked to other, systemic health problems (those affecting the body as a whole). Some forms of vestibular neuritis, in particular, have been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
If you are experiencing long-term hearing loss, nausea, dizziness, and balance problems, check in with a healthcare provider to rule out any other issues and to get the treatment you need to avoid long-term damage or complications.
Ear Infection in Adults
Can You Prevent Inner Ear Infections?
Other measures you can take to decrease your risk of developing an inner ear infection include:
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
Significant hearing loss or vertigo are reasons enough to make an appointment with a healthcare provider. Still, the following red flags should trigger an immediate visit to a provider, urgent care, or emergency department. These include problems like:
It’s also important to avoid driving yourself to get medical care if you are experiencing dizziness, vertigo, or balance problems.
Summary
Ear infections are most common in babies and young children but can occur at any age. Outer and middle ear infections make up most of these cases, but inflammation in the chambers or the nerves deep in the inner ear can lead to an inner ear infection.
Pain or headache can come with an inner ear infection, but inflammation deep in the ear usually causes symptoms like dizziness, nausea, or vertigo. Most of these infections will clear up on their own without treatment. Chronic cases or those that do not improve after a few days should prompt a call to a healthcare provider.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.Anatomy and physiology of the ear.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ear infection basics.
Monarch Initiative.Infectious otitis interna.
National Institutes of Health.Ear infections in children.
Hall CD, Herdman SJ, Whitney SL, Anson ER, Carender WJ, Hoppes CW.Treatment of vestibular disorders (inner ear balance problems): How does Your physical therapist treat dizziness related to inner ear balance problems?J Neurol Phys Ther. April 2022;46(2):178-179. doi:10.1097/NPT.0000000000000385
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