Vestibular disorders: practice question

A ENT question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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ENT · Vestibular disorders

Sample item

A 40-year-old has severe continuous vertigo with nausea for two days after a flu-like illness. There is horizontal nystagmus beating away from the affected ear. There is no hearing loss, tinnitus or neurological deficit. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Vestibular neuritis

Vestibular neuritis is a probable viral inflammation of the vestibular nerve and presents with acute prolonged vertigo, unidirectional horizontal nystagmus and imbalance but with preserved hearing. Treatment is brief symptomatic suppression with vestibular sedatives, steroids in some cases and early vestibular rehabilitation.

Option by option

  • A. Ménière's disease

    Ménière's disease gives recurrent episodes with fluctuating hearing loss and tinnitus.

  • B. Vestibular neuritis (correct)

    Correct. Sustained vertigo with normal hearing after a viral illness fits.

  • C. Labyrinthitis with sensorineural hearing loss

    Labyrinthitis would also involve the cochlea and cause hearing loss.

  • D. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

    BPPV causes brief positional spells and not days of continuous vertigo.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is B, Vestibular neuritis. Vestibular neuritis is a probable viral inflammation of the vestibular nerve and presents with acute prolonged vertigo, unidirectional horizontal nystagmus and imbalance but with preserved hearing.

Why is "Ménière's disease" not the answer?

Ménière's disease gives recurrent episodes with fluctuating hearing loss and tinnitus.

Why is "Labyrinthitis with sensorineural hearing loss" not the answer?

Labyrinthitis would also involve the cochlea and cause hearing loss.

Why is "Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo" not the answer?

BPPV causes brief positional spells and not days of continuous vertigo.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Vestibular disorders in ENT. Treatment is brief symptomatic suppression with vestibular sedatives, steroids in some cases and early vestibular rehabilitation.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Vestibular disorders?

Learn tuning fork results and audiogram patterns by sketching them. Then use the flashcards and the other ENT questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.