Your brain isn’t the only thing affected by a head injury. Your hearing is too.
Most people are familiar with the term “concussion” as it relates to brain or head injuries. However, most people don’t realize that a concussion can occur in your ear as well.
This type of concussion, which occurs when there is damage to the part of your inner ear responsible for balance, is called a “labyrinthine concussion” — while a concussion affecting your brain is called a “cortical concussion.”
Similar to cortical concussions, labyrinthine concussions can be the result of a sports-related head trauma, motor vehicle accident, fall or other cause. They can cause hearing loss, tinnitus, loss of balance, dizziness and vertigo as well as nausea and vomiting.
If you’ve suffered a head injury and are experiencing any of these symptoms, a comprehensive audiological evaluation is recommended. Similarly, if you’ve been diagnosed with a cortical concussion (or suspect a cortical concussion) and your symptoms have persisted beyond 7-10 days, a comprehensive audiological evaluation is recommended.
At the Hearing Loss Clinic, we have a specialized concussion protocol to determine any potential issues with your hearing or balance systems following a head injury. This protocol includes a comprehensive evaluation and is designed to help confirm or rule out any potential hearing issues or vestibular and central auditory processing disorders.
The results of this assessment, including any diagnoses, treatment or referral recommendations, can be shared with your physician, physiotherapist or other healthcare providers to ensure you receive timely and proper rehabilitative care and treatment.
We work closely with family physicians in our communities to help concussion sufferers get back on their feet quickly. We’re also extremely proud to work together with the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary, Benson Concussion Institute and Group 23 Sports Medicine to help athletes recover from concussions.
If you’re suffering from a concussion or concussion-like symptoms, book an appointment or talk to one of our hearing professionals to learn how we can help support your recovery.