Innner Ear Problems

Various problems with the inner ear, which lies behind the bones of the middle ear and the eardrum, can affect balance and hearing.

Function

• Fluid movement in different parts of the inner ear triggers hair cells to tickle the auditory nerve and vestibular nerve. which encode hearing and balance, respectively. Crystals in the inner ear also relay positional information.

Hearing Problems

• According to the National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders, exposure to sounds louder than 85 decibels can destroy hair cells of the inner ear and cause hearing loss. In hearing loss caused by auditory neuropathy, sounds reach the inner ear but fail to stimulate the auditory nerve.

Balance Problems

• Vertigo, a feeling of dizziness caused by the sensation of movement when still, results from problems with the inner ear. Benign positional vertigo and Meniere's disease cause vertigo due to problems with the fluid and crystals of the inner ear, respectively.