Hearing problems and balance issues often occur together, and there’s a reason for that: the hearing system and the balance system are intimately connected. Let’s take a closer look at the connection between hearing and balance, what can disrupt these functions and how specialists evaluate both.
The Inner Ear
Inside your inner ear, there is a cluster of connected organs known as the labyrinth. Incredibly, the labyrinth is the seat of both the balance (vestibular) system and the hearing (auditory) system. The organs in the labyrinth include:
- The cochlea, the main hearing organ
- The semicircular canals, which detect head movement (nodding, tilting your head, etc.)
- The utricle and saccule, which detect your body’s orientation in relation to gravity (standing, lying down, falling, accelerating, etc.)
All of these organs collect their respective sensory information and send it to the brain, allowing us to hear and maintain our balance. In fact, all the organs of the labyrinth share a neural pathway to the brain.
Conditions That Affect Both Balance and Hearing
Since the vestibular and auditory systems are so closely linked, any condition that affects one can also influence the other. Here are some examples.
- Labyrinthitis. This condition occurs when the inner ear becomes infected. The inflammation caused by the swelling and the damage done to the cells of the labyrinth can cause vertigo and hearing loss.
- Ménière’s disease. The labyrinth is filled with a fluid called endolymph. When there’s an excess of this fluid, it can affect how the organs of the labyrinth gather essential sensory information and alter the pressure levels within them, leading to vertigo, hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Acoustic neuroma. This benign growth appears on the nerve shared by the vestibular and auditory systems, interrupting the transmission of balance and sound information.
- Head trauma. A blow to the head could injure the labyrinth or its neural pathway, causing lasting issues to both systems.
- Aging. Aging is a natural process, and as we age, the tissues in our bodies, including the inner ear, begin to deteriorate. Due to this, both balance issues and hearing loss become more common as we get older. It’s estimated that 85% of adults above age 80 have issues with balance, and 96% of adults above age 90 have hearing loss.
If you’ve been experiencing both hearing issues and balance problems, it’s probably due to a condition like those listed that affects the entire inner ear environment.
The Importance of Audiologists
Audiologists are specialists in the ear. While they’re more commonly associated with hearing, the intertwined nature of hearing and balance means that audiologists are also knowledgeable in both. That’s why balance evaluations often include a hearing test.
How they treat your condition will depend on what it is and your primary symptoms. Hearing aids have been shown to reduce fall risk and are also used in treating Ménière’s disease. Vertigo may be treated with vestibular rehabilitation therapy.
If you’re seeking help with your hearing, balance or both, contact Audiology Associates of Redding.