Our ears do more than just help us hear—they also play a big role in keeping us balanced. However, there are many myths about ear balance that can lead to confusion. In this blog, we’ll clear up five common misunderstandings and explain the truth in simple terms.
Myth 1: Only Older People Are Affected by Ear Balance Issues
Reality: Many people believe that ear balance issues are only a problem for the elderly. But this is not true. Even younger people may experience ear balance issues. People of different ages may be affected by conditions such a benign paroxysmal recurrent positional vertigo. BPPV can be caused when crystals within the inner ear break and affect the body’s balance. You may experience it as a result of a viral illness, a head accident, or even for no apparent reason. The truth is that balance issues are not only a problem for older adults.
Myth 2: Dizziness Is Always Caused by Inner Ear Balance Issues
Reality: The most common symptom is dizziness. However, there are many other symptoms. Dizziness doesn’t always mean that the ear balance mechanism is malfunctioning, as many people think. Inner ear aids balance as well as hearing. Diagnosing inner ear dysfunction by symptoms alone is difficult. Someone with an inner ear issue, for example, may feel unsteady and as though they’re walking on moving surfaces, but might not experience the severe symptoms of vertigo.Additionally, they can feel dizzy, have difficulty focusing, or struggle to keep their balance or posture. Without the striking spinning feeling that many people associate with dizziness, these symptoms might occasionally even feel like “floating” or swaying.
It’s also critical to understand that inner ear issues might cause other symptoms, such as nausea or a loss of coordination. It’s possible for someone to lose their equilibrium without feeling lightheaded. Therefore, don’t assume that ear balance problems don’t exist if dizziness doesn’t.
Myth 3: Infections can cause hearing loss.
Reality: Though infections are one of the causes of balance problems in the ears, they are not the only ones. Many people believe that ear problems are the sole or even the primary cause of balance disorders. That is not so. There are many inner ear disorders that can impair the ability of the inner ear to maintain its equilibrium. BPPV or benign paroxysmal recurrent positional vertigo is a very common disorder. It occurs when calcium crystals inside the ear canals move and cause vertigo. Although it may not be an infection per se, this can cause serious imbalance.
Myth 4: Just resting can help with ear balance issues.
Reality: Rest isn’t always the answer, particularly for chronic or recurrent illnesses, but it can occasionally help reduce the short-term symptoms of ear balance problems. The root cause of the balance issue might not be addressed by merely lying down and waiting for the symptoms to go away.
Certain physical techniques called the Epley maneuver, are frequently required for certain conditions, such as BPPV, in order to realign the displaced crystals in the ear. Instead of simply relaxing, these exercises — which are often performed by medical professionals — can aid in balance restoration on a much more focused level. In some cases, vestibular therapy (VRT), a combination of physical therapy, balance exercises and other techniques, is necessary to train the inner ear and brain to work together.
Medical treatments can be required for those with more serious balance problems. This could involve taking medicine to address symptoms like nausea or lightheadedness, or in extremely rare circumstances, having surgery. Therefore, it can be deceptive and sometimes dangerous to assume that relaxation alone would resolve ear balance issues if the underlying problem is not addressed.
Myth 5: There Is Always a Connection Between Hearing Loss and Balance Issues
Reality: The idea that hearing loss must also be present if you have balance problems is one of the most common myths regarding ear balance concerns. Although hearing and balance are both controlled by the inner ear, hearing loss is not usually accompanied by balance problems.
For instance, BPPV has little effect on hearing but causes serious balance problems. On the other hand, hearing loss and balance issues are also possible signs of Meniere’s illness. People with no significant hearing loss often have balance issues. Balance problems may also not be caused by some hearing issues such as ear infections and hearing loss. When determining the cause of balance issues, it’s important to distinguish between the two inner-ear functions: hearing and balance. Hearing loss does not necessarily affect balance, and vice versa. Understanding the differences between each issue is essential to receiving proper care from an ENT specialist