10 Symptoms of Labyrinthitis
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
Symptom #10: Ear Pain and Discharge
Labyrinthitis often develops after a viral infection, such as a cold or the flu. However, some patients with labyrinthitis may experience pain in the affected ear, which is not a normal feature of viral infections. Instead, ear pain may indicate that there is a bacterial infection in the middle ear that has spread to the inner ear.
If so, a bacterial infection also may cause fluid to enter the labyrinth and produce pus. Both ear pain and discharge are nonspecific symptoms that can occur in many conditions, so a culture of the ear discharge may be taken to determine the exact cause. The symptoms usually subside once the labyrinthitis is treated.
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