Vestibular neuritis: Viruses that damage balance

There are many viruses that are attracted to nervous tissue (neurotropic) and so can attack the brain and nerves.  The inner ears are each served by nerves that exit directly from the brain, and so can be affected by viruses that cause brain inflammation (encephalitis), and infection of the lining of the brain (meningitis). There are many viruses that can do this.  Common neurotropic viruses include the enteroviruses (for example, polio and stomach flu);  herpesviruses that cause cold sores;  influenza, and the viruses that cause measles and mumps. Recently COVID-19 has been linked to brain inflammation and dizziness.

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Something rare: Behçet’s Syndrome

There are many rare diseases that cause dizziness.  Although  they are not frequent, they have unusual groups of symptoms that can help make your diagnosis clear.

Behçet’s syndrome is type of vasculitis –inflammation of the blood vessels. This kind of inflammation can damage many different parts of the body.  Dizziness is a frequent symptom, occurring in more than a  third of patients. Typically the disease goes through repeated flare-ups and remissions.

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