Inre inflammation, eller systemisk inflammation, är ett tillstånd där kroppen har en aktiverad inflammatorisk respons i sin inre miljö. Detta kan orsakas av olika faktorer, som infektioner, autoimmuna sjukdomar, skador eller cancer.

Vid inre inflammation ökar nivåerna av cytokiner, kemiska signalsubstanser som frisätts av immunceller för att aktivera andra celler och koordinera svar på skada eller infektion. Några exempel på cytokiner är interleukiner, tumörnekrosfaktor-alfa (TNF-α) och interferoner.

Inre inflammation kan ha negativa effekter på kroppens funktion och hälsa. Långvarig inre inflammation har setts vara relaterad till en ökad risk för flera sjukdomar, som hjärt-kärlsjukdomar, diabetes, cancer och neurodegenerativa sjukdomar.

Det är viktigt att notera att inre inflammation kan vara asymptomatisk eller ge upphov till milda symtom, såsom trötthet, små feber och muskelvärk. Dessa symtom kan vara subtila och lätt förbises, men det är viktigt att söka medicinsk behandling om man misstänker inre inflammation eller har andra symptom som kan tyda på en underliggande sjukdom.

"Labyrinth diseases" refer to a group of disorders that affect the inner ear, specifically the labyrinth or vestibular system, which is responsible for maintaining balance and spatial orientation. These conditions can cause symptoms such as vertigo, dizziness, imbalance, and hearing loss. Examples of labyrinth diseases include:

1. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): A condition characterized by the presence of otoconia (calcium carbonate crystals) in the semicircular canals of the inner ear, causing brief episodes of vertigo triggered by changes in head position.
2. Meniere's disease: An inner ear disorder that causes episodes of vertigo, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness in the affected ear.
3. Labyrinthitis: Inflammation of the inner ear caused by a viral or bacterial infection, resulting in symptoms such as vertigo, dizziness, nausea, and hearing loss.
4. Vestibular neuronitis: A condition characterized by inflammation of the vestibular nerve, causing severe vertigo, nausea, and imbalance without hearing loss.
5. Superior canal dehiscence syndrome: A rare inner ear disorder caused by a thinning or absence of the bone overlying the superior semicircular canal, leading to symptoms such as vertigo, sound- or pressure-induced dizziness, and conductive hearing loss.
6. Perilymph fistula: An abnormal connection between the inner ear and middle ear, allowing perilymph (fluid inside the inner ear) to leak into the middle ear, causing symptoms such as vertigo, unsteadiness, and hearing loss.
7. Ototoxicity: Damage to the inner ear caused by certain medications or chemicals, resulting in hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance problems.

'Yrsel' är ett medicinskt begrepp som översätts till 'giddiness' på engelska. Det kan definieras som en känsla av svindel eller förvirring, ofta associerad med illamående och instabil balans. Yrsel kan orsakas av olika faktorer såsom läkemedelsbiverkningar, innerördskaftsbesvär, hjärt- och kärlsjukdomar eller neurologiska störningar. I allvarliga fall kan yrsel leda till sömnighet, medvetslöshet eller i värsta fall till synkop (plötslig medvetslöshet).

The cochlea is the snail-shaped structure in the inner ear that is responsible for converting sound waves into electrical signals that can be interpreted by the brain. It is a key component of the auditory system and is made up of three fluid-filled channels: the scala vestibuli, the scala tympani, and the cochlear duct (also known as the scala media).

The cochlea is lined with hair cells, which are specialized sensory cells that convert sound waves into neural signals. When sound waves reach the inner ear, they cause the fluid in the cochlea to move, which in turn causes the hair cells to bend and release neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters then stimulate the auditory nerve, which carries the electrical signals to the brain.

Damage to the hair cells or other structures in the cochlea can lead to hearing loss, making the cochlea a common site of injury or disease in conditions that affect hearing.