Post-viral labyrinthitis or Vestibular
neuronitis is a transient disorder occurring spontaneously and will resolve with supportive care.
A prospective study on the course of anxiety after vestibular
neuronitis. J Psychosom Res 2004; 56:351-354.
Yamamoto et al., "Recovery of the vestibular function after vestibular
neuronitis," Acta OtoLaryngologica, vol.
Vestibular
neuronitis is caused by a sudden unilateral loss of vestibular function.
There were 35 cases of Meniere's disease, 26 cases of heart diseases, 26 cases caused by abnormal blood pressure, 25 cases of psychological disorders, 21 cases of infectious diseases, 20 cases of syncope, 17 cases of sudden deafness, 11 cases of vestibular
neuronitis, 7 cases of other ear diseases, 6 cases of migrainous vertigo and 5 cases of vertebrobasilar infarction.
(2) Symptoms may last for seconds (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo [BPPV]), hours (Meniere's disease), minutes to days (vestibular migraine), or weeks (vestibular
neuronitis).
An infection of the inner ear (labyrinthitis) or an inflammation of the balance nerve (vestibular
neuronitis) can give rise to severe rotatory dizziness for up to two to three weeks, with a slow return to normal balance which can take a further few weeks.
What I have is Acute
Neuronitis, which is related to vertigo.
In vestibular
neuronitis (involving the vestibular system only) or labyrinthitis (involving the entire labyrinth: vestibular system and cochlea with associated hearing loss) one inner ear does not function and the relative 'overstimulation' of stimuli from the normal ear to the brain produces excessive vertigo.
The Australian has every cause for perspective, given that this was her first match for two months after being sidelined with vestibular
neuronitis, a viral infection of the ear, which affects balance and vision.