You Know when you’re watching an action movie and the hero has a loud explosion close by and their ears begin to ring? Well, at least some degree of mild brain trauma has likely happened to them.
To be certain, brain injuries aren’t the bit that most action movies linger on. But that high-pitched ringing is something called tinnitus. Tinnitus is most frequently talked about in the context of hearing loss, but actually, traumatic brain injuries like concussions can also trigger this particular ringing in the ears.
After all, one of the most prevalent traumatic brain injuries is a concussion. And there are a number of reasons concussions can occur (for example, falls, sporting accidents, and motor vehicle accidents). How something like a concussion triggers tinnitus can be, well, complex. But here’s the good news: even if you sustain a brain injury that causes tinnitus, you can usually treat and manage your condition.
Concussions, exactly what are they?
A concussion is brain trauma of a very specific type. One way to view it is that your brain is protected by sitting tightly in your skull. The brain will begin moving around inside your skull when something shakes your head violently. But your brain could wind up smashing into the inside of your skull because of the little amount of additional space in there.
This harms your brain! The brain can impact one or more sides of your skull. And when this occurs, you get a concussion. When you visualize this, it makes it simple to understand how a concussion is literally brain damage. Here are a few symptoms of a concussion:
- Dizziness and blurred vision
- Loss of memory and confusion
- Headaches
- Ringing in the ears
- Slurred speech
- A slow or delayed response to questions
- Nausea and vomiting
This list is not complete, but you get the point. Symptoms from a concussion can last anywhere between several weeks and a few months. Brain injury from one concussion is generally not permanent, most people will end up making a total recovery. But, repetitive or multiple concussions are a bigger problem (generally speaking, it’s the best idea to avoid these).
How is tinnitus triggered by a concussion?
Can a concussion mess with your hearing? Really?
It’s an intriguing question: what is the link between concussions and tinnitus? After all, concussions won’t be the only brain traumas that can cause tinnitus symptoms. That ringing in your ears can be set off by even mild brain injuries. Here are a couple of ways that might occur:
- Nerve damage: There’s also a nerve that is responsible for sending sounds you hear to your brain, which a concussion can harm.
- Meniere’s Syndrome: A TBI can cause the onset of a condition known as Meniere’s Syndrome. When pressure builds up in the inner ear this condition can occur. Significant hearing loss and tinnitus can become a problem over time as a result of Menier’s disease.
- Damage to your hearing: Enduring an explosion at close range is the cause of concussions and TBIs for many members of the military. Irreversible hearing loss can be caused when the stereocilia in your ears are damaged by the incredibly loud shock wave of an explosion. Tinnitus isn’t inevitably caused by a concussion, but they definitely do share some root causes.
- A “labyrinthine” concussion: When your TBI injures the inner ear this kind of concussion occurs. This damage can create inflammation and lead to both hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Disruption of communication: Concussion can, in some cases, harm the portions of the brain that manage hearing. Consequently, the messages sent from the ear to your brain can’t be precisely processed and tinnitus can be the outcome.
- Interruption of the Ossicular Chain: There are three tiny bones in your ear that help send sounds to your brain. These bones can be pushed out of place by a significant concussive, impactive event. Tinnitus can be caused by this and it can also interrupt your ability to hear.
It’s significant to stress that every traumatic brain injury and concussion is a bit different. Personalized care and instructions, from us, will be provided to every patient. Certainly, if you think you have suffered a traumatic brain injury or a concussion, you need to call us for an assessment as soon as possible.
When you suffer from a concussion and tinnitus is the consequence, how can it be managed?
Most frequently, tinnitus caused by a concussion or traumatic brain injury will be temporary. After a concussion, how long can I expect my tinnitus to last? Well, it could last weeks or possibly months. But, it’s likely that your tinnitus is permanent if it persists for more than a year. In these situations, the treatment plan transitions to managing your symptoms over the long term.
Here are some ways to achieve this:
- Hearing aid: Sometimes, tinnitus becomes dominant because the rest of the world goes into the background (as is the situation with non-TBI-caused hearing loss, everything else gets quieter, so your tinnitus sounds louder). Hearing aids help your tinnitus go into the background by turning the volume up on everything else.
- Therapy: In some situations, therapy, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be used to help patients ignore the noise caused by their tinnitus. You ignore the sound after acknowledging it. It will require some therapy, practice, and time though.
- Masking device: This device is similar to a hearing aid, only instead of helping you hear things louder, it creates a particular noise in your ear. Your specific tinnitus symptoms determine what sound the device will produce helping you disregard the tinnitus sounds and be better able to pay attention to voices and other external sounds.
Achieving the expected result will, in some cases, require additional therapies. Clearing up the tinnitus will frequently call for treatment to the underlying concussion. The best course of action will depend on the nature of your concussion and your TBI. In this regard, an accurate diagnosis is key.
Talk to us about what the ideal treatment plan may look like for you.
TBI-caused tinnitus can be managed
A concussion can be a significant and traumatic situation in your life. It’s never a good day when you get a concussion! And if you have ringing in your ears, you might ask yourself, why do I have ringing in my ears after a car crash?
Tinnitus may surface immediately or in the days that follow. However, it’s essential to remember that tinnitus after a head injury can be successfully managed. Schedule a consultation with us right away.
