How Head Injuries Impact Hearing And Balance

There are few things more serious than a head injury. Even the most minor accident could lead to severe health problems that may impact your quality of life for many years to come. Whether you’ve hit your head in a car crash, cycling accident or a fall at home, it’s important to seek emergency healthcare right away. This will allow an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor to assess the extent of the damage and identify any potential complications that could occur.

The effects of such an injury can be varied and numerous. The exact nature of the damage will depend on the force of impact, the part of the head injured and any existing health conditions you may already have.

A head trauma can lead to issues including:

• Concussion
• Tearing or bruising of the brain tissue
• Hematomas or blood clots
• Stroke
• Damage to blood vessels
• Fractures
• Loss of cognitive function

Other possible consequences of head injury that many people are not aware of include the effect on hearing and balance. Trauma to the skull and brain can impact your abilities in these areas, and in many cases the link is not immediately obvious. This is why a traumatic brain injury is often referred to as an invisible injury, because it causes health problems that are difficult to identify and diagnose.

How Head Injuries Affect Balance

The inner ear contains structures that play a crucial role in helping you to maintain your balance. These structures are known as the vestibular system, and it provides your brain with crucial information about body position and relays messages to the body in order to induce rapid compensatory movements in response to external stimuli. For example, if you’re walking on slippery or uneven terrain, your vestibular system will help to keep you upright.

But if this structure is damaged due to a major head injury, this will affect your body’s ability to maintain balance. As a result, you may experience dizziness or vertigo in certain situations. You will also have trouble walking upright and will be more likely to succumb to further head injuries in the future.

How Head Injuries Affect Hearing

A head injury can affect your hearing in a number of different ways. If parts of your inner ear, such as the cochlea, are damaged, this can result in partial or complete hearing loss. This may occur immediately or gradually over a period of weeks, months or even years.

Alternatively, you may also experience hearing loss if the part of your brain responsible for processing sound is damaged. Although the inner workings of your ear may still be intact, the brain may not be able to process external sounds and therefore you may experience difficulties in hearing and understanding conversation. If the associated brain damage is relatively minor, it is possible hearing could return with recovery.

Prevention and Treatment of Head Injuries

Prevention is the best cure when it comes to head injuries, so it is essential you protect your head when engaging in any potentially risky activity. This means wearing full personal protective equipment such as helmets if cycling, skateboarding or engaging in any other extreme sports. Hard hats should be worn if you work in a manual profession such as construction, and you should always take extra care in dangerous conditions such as icy ground or uneven terrain.

If you have already experienced a head injury, the exact course of treatment will depend on the nature and severity of the trauma. In minor cases, recovery may simply be a matter of rest and recuperation while keeping an eye out for any changes to your physical or mental state.

But however major or minor you believe the injury to be, it’s essential you seek emergency healthcare as not all damage is immediately visible. There is always a risk of hematoma or internal bleeding that could be fatal, so only imaging tests such as MRI or CT scans can provide certainty. This will also enable a doctor to identify any damage to the inner ear as well as the brain.

While recovering, pay attention to your hearing, balance and cognitive function. If anything changes from the usual, it could be a sign of serious damage and you must seek further help immediately.

Book an Audiologist Appointment

If you have recently had a head injury and are experiencing changes to your hearing or balance, you should consult with an audiologist. They will be able to assess any possible damage to your inner and determine the status of your hearing. Get in touch with the Vero ENT Associates team by calling us today at (772) 408-9556.