Spinning around again

QI caught labyrinthitis and couldn’t move without vomiting, and everything was spinning! Could it return? Inga, Exeter

A

Labyrinthitis is the most common cause of sudden vertigo, where everything seems to spin around, together with vomiting and clammy sweating. Often it appears out of the blue and can be quite horrible, with every movement triggering vertigo and retching.

The cause is usually a virus infection of your labyrinth, the part of your inner ear responsible for balance. Treatment means drugs to combat sickness and vertigo. You may have to take them by injection, as a suppository, or as a tablet absorbed through the lining of your mouth. It usually settles within a couple of days, although in rare cases mild symptoms can last for weeks, in which case you should see your doctor.