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Glite Dictionary
labyrinthitis

labyrinthitis

1 9.1
Swelling in the inner ear that causes dizziness, loss of balance, and hearing problems
  • noun
  • /ˌlæbəˈrɪnˌθaɪtɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : laberintitis
  • Labyrinthitis and petrositis have also been reported in association with mastoid disease.

Examples

  • A.L. Kennedy was recently interviewed in The Guardian about her recent brush with overwork (she writes one book every 11 months plus a column for The Guardian), which resulted in a raft of ills including labyrinthitis, panic attacks, and a stomach ulcer.

    Blog text (17)

  • When I lost all balance due to Labyrinthitis in 2007, I was afraid running would exit stage left.

    Blog text (9)

  • Cochlear implant guy, with no balance thanks to labyrinthitis.

    Blog text (9)

  • These complications include early destruction of the middle ear conductive mechanism, facial paralysis, cochlear involvement with labyrinthitis and sensorineural hearing loss, and intracranial dissemination of infection.

    Academic text (2002)

  • If you experience severe dizziness and ringing in your ears, you might have labyrinthitis, which can cause balance issues.

  • The doctor explained that labyrinthitis can lead to vertigo and a feeling of unsteadiness.

  • Patients with labyrinthitis often struggle to maintain their balance due to inner ear inflammation.

Synonyms

otitis interna
vslabyrinthitis
  • Specialized
7.9

Swelling in the inner ear that causes dizziness and vomiting

emphasizes vertigo with loss of balance rather than vomiting

Surface Forms

labyrinthitis singular
labyrinthitides plural

Morphology

labyrinthitis = labyrinth (semi-transparent) = labyrinth + itis

Formally formed by 'labyrinth' + the medical suffix '-itis', but understanding requires medical knowledge of '-itis' and the anatomical sense of 'labyrinth'.

Etymology

The word labyrinthitis comes from labyrinth, which means 'maze', and the ending -itis, which means 'inflammation' and appears in words like arthritis. The inner ear is like a tiny maze, so labyrinthitis is when that 'maze' becomes inflamed, which is why it causes dizziness and loss of balance.