Central OC Times

Lizzy Yarnold, a British skeleton racer, has suffered from inner ear problems that she believes almost prevented her from winning gold in the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Yarnold had her sights set on finishing on top in 2018, and she never dreamed such a common issue could potentially stand in her way.

Yarnold's problems were caused by a vestibular disorder that affects the inner ear. She also revealed having trouble breathing in a new, much colder climate in PyeongChang while experiencing vertigo and sinus headaches without congestion, according to The Sun.

According to Wikipedia, Yarnold won the gold medal in both the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics. She is the most successful skeleton racer of any country.

After Yarnold arrived at the Olympics, she noticed she was developing a chest infection, which grew worse to the point where she was having issues speaking and breathing. She attempted many potential solutions to try to dull the symptoms of her condition. After falling to third place, she was able to persevere and take home the winning gold medal despite her ear infection and other symptoms.

"Labyrinthitis" is the name of a vestibular disorder that affects the inner ear. Labyrinthitis is caused by inflammation of part of the inner ear known as the labyrinth, according to NHS (National Health Service) Inform. The inflammation comes from an infection that is usually bacterial, or in some cases viral.

“The goal of the treatment is to relieve that blockage of the eustachian tube to relieve that chronic inflammation, so it starts opening and closing and letting the air exchange,” Dr Glenn Waldman of Bella Vista ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery told Central OC Times. 

Many bacterial infections will clear up within 10 days and are mostly caused by a common cold, according to Mayo Clinic. Schedule an appointment to visit a otolaryngologist if things do not clear up within a few weeks, your symptoms get worse or you have a history of recurrent or chronic sinusitis and a sinus headache.