By Barry Keate
Barry Keate, has lived with tinnitus over 40 years and has published 150+ research articles on numerous aspects of tinnitus. He is an expert on the condition and a well-known advocate for those with tinnitus.
(stefamerpik/Freepik)
While there are many causes for tinnitus symptoms, research indicates there is a link between tinnitus and head and neck trauma, particularly concussions. Some individuals, including military members, develop tinnitus following traumatic brain injuries. The connection between the brain injuries and tinnitus symptoms highlights the relationship between brain function and hearing issues. Understanding this link may help inform future research on tinnitus about potential causes and treatments. Here’s what we know.
What is a Concussion?
Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury or TBI. They occur when a person’s head experiences a force that causes the brain to move around the skull, causing damage. Concussions may not be acknowledged when the injury occurs, often because people register the event as just a bump on their head. That said, there are many symptoms that, if felt near the time of any impact to the head, likely indicate a concussion. These symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Blurry vision
- Dizziness
- Memory loss
- Slurred speech
Typically, recovery from a concussion takes anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Those who are experiencing a concussion for the first time are likely to make a full recovery. Repeated concussions, however, can result in more serious brain damage.
Types of Head Trauma
Concussions are often associated with athletes who play contact sports. While some sports, such as football or hockey, do account for a high number of concussions, they are not the only cause. Those who don’t play sports are also at risk of traumatic brain injuries; they just may come about in different ways.
Members of the military, factory and construction workers, and other laborers who work in loud environments are also at risk of concussions. Loud explosions are capable of producing a shockwave that can jolt the brain, causing a concussion. Individuals who have been in car accidents also often experience concussions, especially when the accident occurs at high speeds. Concussions can happen as a result of simple accidents, like knocking your head on a wall or having something fall on your head. Even if an event was not emotionally or psychologically traumatic, it may have been traumatic to your brain.
What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a ringing, buzzing, or humming sound. It’s a perceived sound, meaning others cannot hear it. However, individuals with tinnitus may hear these sounds for short bursts of time, a few months at a time, or constantly in either one ear or both. Tinnitus symptoms can be caused in various ways but are often associated with damage to the nerves in the inner ear. There is currently no known cure for all types of tinnitus. However, hearing aids, stress management techniques, dietary changes, and supplements such as a tinnitus relief formula may help alleviate symptoms.
Tinnitus and Head Trauma
Many individuals have developed tinnitus after experiencing trauma to the head. Often, these traumas involve a concussion, as well as damage to the inner ear. Tinnitus caused by head trauma is becoming a more researched area of the field of auditory disorders as there are many ways that head trauma can result in tinnitus. Here are just a few of the culprits:
- In some instances, concussions and other head trauma can damage the specific region of the brain that controls hearing, called the primary auditory cortex, which is in the temporal lobe. When a concussion impacts this part of the brain, the signals sent between the brain and ears get disrupted and difficult to process. As a result, tinnitus symptoms can develop.
- Traumatic brain injuries can also trigger the development of Meniere’s disease. This condition results from damage to the inner ear and cannot be cured. It can cause vertigo, balance issues, ear pressure, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The symptoms caused by this disease can be severe and debilitating.
- Labyrinthine concussions are a specific subsection of traumatic brain injuries in which the inner ear is directly harmed. It’s hypothesized that the membranes inside the inner ear collide with the bones in the same area and cause significant damage. Regardless of how this particular concussion occurs, the damage to the inner ear may lead to sensorineural hearing loss, balance issues, and tinnitus. Typically, tinnitus is experienced immediately after the injury but may develop hours or a few days later.
- The ossicular chain is a collection of three bones in your ear that assist in processing and relaying sounds to the brain. Major head impact can move the ossicular chain out of alignment, causing tinnitus and hearing loss.
Moving Forward
Individuals who have experienced a concussion or other traumatic brain injury should be aware of their risk for developing tinnitus. Understanding the established connection between the two conditions may help those affected understand the source of their symptoms and how best to treat them. While tinnitus caused by traumatic brain injuries is still not well understood, there are still natural supplements for tinnitus that may offer some relief from the associated stress. Proper recovery from a TBI is critical to help mitigate the possible aftereffects of concussions and help people move on from their injuries in the healthiest way possible.
Get Free Shipping!
Order now and get free shipping on either the Tinnitus Starter Kit or Combo Pack. Try the doctor recommended products with clinically proven ingredients for tinnitus. No coupon code required.
