You Know when you’re viewing an action movie and the hero has a loud explosion close by and their ears begin to ring? Well, guess what: that most likely means our hero sustained at least a mild traumatic brain injury!
To be sure, brain injuries aren’t the bit that most action movies linger on. But that high-pitched ringing is something called tinnitus. Usually, hearing loss is the subject of a tinnitus conversation, but traumatic brain injuries can also trigger this condition.
Concussions, after all, are one of the more prevalent traumatic brain injuries that happen. And they can happen for a wide variety of reasons (car crashes, sporting accidents, and falls, for instance). It can be a bit complicated sorting out how a concussion can lead to tinnitus. But the good news is that even if you sustain a brain injury that causes tinnitus, you can normally treat and manage your condition.
Concussions, exactly what are they?
A concussion is brain trauma of a very particular type. Think about it like this: your brain is situated fairly tightly inside your skull (your brain is big, and your skull is there to protect it). When something occurs and shakes the head violently enough, your brain starts moving around in your skull. But because there’s so little extra space in there, your brain could literally crash into the inside of your skull.
This causes damage to your brain! The brain can impact one or more sides of your skull. And this is what brings about a concussion. When you visualize this, it makes it simple to see how a concussion is literally brain damage. Symptoms of concussions include the following:
- Confusion and loss of memory
- Slurred speech
- Dizziness and blurred vision
- A slow or delayed response to questions
- Vomiting and nausea
- Ringing in the ears
- Headaches
Even though this list makes the point, it’s in no way complete. Several weeks to several months is the normal duration of concussion symptoms. When somebody gets a single concussion, they will normally make a full recovery. But, repeated or multiple concussions are a different story (generally speaking, it’s the best idea to avoid these).
How do concussions trigger tinnitus?
Can a concussion interfere with your hearing? Really?
The question of concussions and tinnitus is an intriguing one. Because it’s more correct to say that traumatic brain injuries (even minor ones) can bring about tinnitus, it’s not just concussions. Even minor brain injuries can result in that ringing in your ears. That may happen in a couple of ways:
- Meniere’s Syndrome: The onset of a condition known as Meniere’s Syndrome can be a consequence of a TBI. This is a result of an accumulation of pressure within the inner ear. Eventually, Meniere’s syndrome can lead to significant tinnitus and hearing loss.
- A “labyrinthine” concussion: When your TBI damages the inner ear this kind of concussion happens. Tinnitus and hearing loss, as a result of inflammation, can be the consequence of this damage.
- Disruption of communication: In some instances, the portion of your brain that manages hearing can become damaged by a concussion. Consequently, the signals sent from the ear to your brain can’t be properly digested and tinnitus can be the outcome.
- Nerve damage: There’s also a nerve that is in charge of transmitting sounds you hear to your brain, which a concussion can harm.
- Disruption of the Ossicular Chain: The relaying of sound to your brain is aided by three bones in your ear. A significant impact (the kind that can cause a concussion, for example) can push these bones out of position. Tinnitus can be caused by this and it can also interrupt your ability to hear.
- Damage to your hearing: Enduring an explosion at close distance is the cause of concussions and TBIs for many members of the military. Irreversible hearing loss can be triggered when the stereocilia in your ears are damaged by the exceptionally loud shock wave of an explosion. So it isn’t so much that the concussion brought about tinnitus, it’s that the tinnitus and concussion have the same underlying cause.
Of course it’s significant to keep in mind that no two brain injuries are exactly the same. Individualized care and instructions, from us, will be provided to every patient. Indeed, if you think you have suffered a traumatic brain injury or a concussion, you should call us for an evaluation right away.
How do you manage tinnitus from a concussion?
Most frequently, tinnitus caused by a concussion or traumatic brain damage will be short-term. How long does tinnitus linger after a concussion? Well, it may last weeks or months. Then again, if your tinnitus has lingered for more than a year, it’s likely to be long lasting. In these circumstances, the treatment strategy transitions to controlling your symptoms over the long run.
This can be accomplished by:
- Therapy: Sometimes, patients can learn to ignore the sound by engaging in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). You acknowledge that the noise is present, and then ignore it. This technique takes therapy and practice.
- Hearing aid: Sometimes, tinnitus becomes prominent because the rest of the world takes a back seat (as is the situation with non-TBI-caused hearing loss, everything else gets quieter, so your tinnitus sounds louder). Hearing aids help your tinnitus fade into the background by turning up the volume on everything else.
- Masking device: This device goes in your ear much like a hearing aid, but it produces particular noises instead of amplifying things. This noise is customized to your tinnitus, drowning out the sound so you can focus on voices, or other sounds you actually want to hear.
Achieving the desired result will, in some cases, require added therapies. Management of the root concussion may be necessary in order to make the tinnitus go away. The right course of action will depend on the status of your concussion and your TBI. This means a precise diagnosis is incredibly important in this regard.
Consult us about what the ideal treatment plan might look like for you.
You can manage tinnitus caused by a TBI
A concussion can be a substantial and traumatic event in your life. It’s never a good day when you get concussed! And if you’ve been in a car accident and your ears are ringing, you might wonder why.
It could be days later or instantly after the crash that tinnitus symptoms emerge. However, it’s essential to remember that tinnitus after a head injury can be managed effectively. Schedule a consultation with us today.