South Birmingham Times

In a breath, British skeleton racer Lizzy Yarnold could see her dreams of gold in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang slipping away as she fought an inner ear infection that nearly forced her from the competition.

As the competition started, Yarnold was dealing with the symptoms of an inner ear infection, The Sun reported, and she was affected by vertigo and sinus headaches. She was also dealing breathing issues that were attributed to the colder climate, and her symptoms were instigated by a vestibular disorder that affected her inner ear.

Cases like Yarnold’s, according to Dr. Matthew Blair of Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers, show how an inner ear infection can take down even an Olympic athlete. 

“Over a long period time, it can be pretty detrimental to the eardrum itself, and you can develop things like chronic infections in the ear from it," Blair told the South Birmingham Times.

During the 2018 Olympic Games, Yarnold was hoping to repeat as the gold medalist in skeleton, after standing at the top of the podium during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, according Wikipedia. She had been competing professionally since 2010. 

As the inner ear infection flared, it became increasingly difficult for Yarnold the breathe or even speak. She turned to some home remedies that were not providing relief, and she found herself in third place, in danger of being out of medal contention. Ultimately, as the competition continued, she was able to overcome her symptoms and win her second career Olympic gold medal. 

As it turns out, NHS (National Health Service) Inform noted that vestibular disorders like the one that affected Yarnold are often known as "labrynthitis" and are the result of inflammation of the labyrinth in the inner ear. In many cases, the issues are caused by a bacterial infection, but in some rare cases, it can be driven by a viral infection. These infections are usually treated with home remedies and medication. 

A case of acute sinusitis can lead to inflammation of the sinuses, according to Mayo Clinic, which can affect drainage and result in mucus buildup. Moreover, in most cases, sinus allergies can be controlled within 10 days and are often is sparked by a common cold. However, if the symptoms persist, or if you have a family history of sinus infections or chronic sinusitis, seek medical attention.