‘I was sent to A&E with one rare flu symptom not to ignore’

As one of the few people from my circle who didn’t get sick over the winter holidays, I was proudly confident that I’d completely avoid the flu this year. What a mistake. As the end of January arrived, I was bed-bound with a cold and sore throat. As someone who usually recovers quickly from illnesses, I wasn’t worried.

But one evening, my ear started to beep aggressively. While tinnitus and blocked ears are common during viral infections, something felt off. By the end of the day, the world started spinning. I could not even walk to the kitchen for a paracetamol without falling. Shortly after, a wave of extreme nausea followed, turning the evening into something close to hell.

Ear issues such as middle-ear infections can commonly cause balance problems, as the inner ear is where the vestibular system – the body’s balance centre – is located. But the violent vomiting and complete inability to walk straight scared me. The next morning, I called my GP immediately. After a brief description of my symptoms, I was sent straight to A&E, as I needed to be assessed the same day. 

To my luck, the urgent care on the emergency floor of a nearby hospital had no visitors ahead of me, so I only waited for about five minutes for my GP appointment. The verdict was: labyrinthitis, a viral or occassionally bacterial infection of the inner ear that causes dizziness and reduced or distorted hearing. 

According to clinical research, labyrinthitis is a relatively rare complication of the flu. According to Dr Majeed Azeem, a practising GP, no more than one or two per cent of people with flu get the complication.

Labyrinthitis is an inflammation of the inner ear, specifically the labyrinth, which contains both the cochlea (responsible for hearing) and the vestibular system (responsible for balance). When this area becomes inflamed, it can severely disrupt balance, which in turn causes nausea and vomiting. Other symptoms include tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ear), temporary hearing loss, and difficulty focusing the eyes. Many patients report being unable to stand or walk without assistance during the acute phase.

Symptoms are often most severe during the first few days and may be triggered or worsened by head movement. Luckily, my symptoms only lasted for a day and the GP prescribed me anti-nausea medication.

There is no single cure for labyrinthitis, but treatment focuses on managing symptoms while the body recovers. Most people begin to improve within a few days, but it might take several weeks or even months for the symptoms to go away completely. As most of labyrinthitis cases have a viral and not a bacterial cause, GPs often cannot prescribe antibiotics. 

Vertigo, vomiting, and balance loss are not exclusive to labyrinthitis. Similar symptoms can be caused by strokes, brain tumours, meningitis, or other neurological conditions. When calling your GP practice, try to describe your symptoms in great detail. 

You should call youg GP urgently if vertigo is severe, sudden, or accompanied by vomiting, hearing loss, or difficulty walking. An immediate assessment is especially important if symptoms include slurred speech, weakness on one side of the body, facial drooping, or vision problems. These may indicate a stroke rather than an inner-ear condition.

Patients should also contact a GP if symptoms persist beyond a few days, worsen over time, or if vomiting leads to dehydration.  Dr Azeem told The Express that you may be referred to an ENT specialist if the problem persists, in order to do further specialised investigations to rule out bacterial infections or a tumour inside the ear.