Labyrinthitis: suppurative: 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.

Try it

ENT · Labyrinthitis: suppurative

Sample item

A patient with chronic otitis media develops sudden severe vertigo, vomiting, spontaneous nystagmus toward the healthy ear and total loss of hearing in the affected ear. What is this?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Suppurative labyrinthitis

Suppurative labyrinthitis causes destruction of cochlear and vestibular function, with a dead ear, and carries risk of meningitis. Serous labyrinthitis retains some hearing and function. Treatment includes high-dose antibiotics and management of the underlying ear disease.

Option by option

  • A. Vestibular migraine

    Vestibular migraine does not cause total deafness.

  • B. Suppurative labyrinthitis (correct)

    Correct. Profound sensorineural loss with severe vertigo indicates suppurative labyrinthitis.

  • C. Serous labyrinthitis

    Serous labyrinthitis does not destroy hearing.

  • D. Benign positional vertigo

    BPPV is brief positional vertigo without hearing loss.

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.

More ENT questions

Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is B, Suppurative labyrinthitis. Suppurative labyrinthitis causes destruction of cochlear and vestibular function, with a dead ear, and carries risk of meningitis.

Why is "Vestibular migraine" not the answer?

Vestibular migraine does not cause total deafness.

Why is "Serous labyrinthitis" not the answer?

Serous labyrinthitis does not destroy hearing.

Why is "Benign positional vertigo" not the answer?

BPPV is brief positional vertigo without hearing loss.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Labyrinthitis: suppurative in ENT. Serous labyrinthitis retains some hearing and function. Treatment includes high-dose antibiotics and management of the underlying ear disease.

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 Labyrinthitis: suppurative?

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.