Condition : Hearing and balance issues

Condition Hearing and balance issues

What are hearing and balance issues?

The auditory system, which processes sound, and vestibular system, which enables you to balance are both situated in the inner ear. The two systems share a nerve pathway, so a problem in one can affect the other.

Symptoms of hearing and balance problems can include:

loss of balance
hearing loss
dizziness
vertigo (feeling like you are spinning, even when you’re not moving), which may lead to nausea or vomiting if severe
tinnitus (ringing in your ears)
earache (pain inside the ear)
clear fluid, blood or pus leaking from your ear
a feeling of fullness in the ear
feeling tired or stressed (from having to concentrate while listening)

What causes hearing and balance issues?

Ear infections, injury (getting hit on your ear), and exposure to loud noise or a sudden change in air pressure are common causes of short-term hearing loss, tinnitus, and loss of balance.

Permanent hearing loss is a common side effect of getting older, but it can also result from a sudden or consistent exposure to loud noise, which may also cause long-lasting tinnitus.

Persistent or worsening symptoms could be due to:

earwax build-up
Ménière's disease (recurring episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus)
glue ear (fluid filling the middle part of the ear canal)
a vestibular disorder, such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) (vertigo caused by certain head movements)
a tumour (benign or cancerous), such as an acoustic neuroma

Next steps

Pharmacists can help with problems like earwax build-up and minor ear infections.

Talk to a GP if your symptoms are persistent or they came on suddenly and are severe. Depending on your symptoms, you could be referred to a specialist to get a diagnosis and help you manage the problem.

Hearing tests are available on the NHS, but you can also pay to get tested at some pharmacies and opticians.

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