Head Injury and Ringing Ears: Understanding the Connection

When you hear a loud noise, the vibrations from the sound waves travel through your outer ear and cause your eardrum to vibrate. This vibration is then transferred to three tiny bones in your middle ear, called the malleus, the incus, and the stapes. The stapes presses against the cochlea, which is a spiral-shaped structure filled with fluid and tiny hair cells. These hair cells convert the vibrations into electrical signals, which are then sent to your brain through your auditory nerve.

If your head is injured, it can damage the hair cells in your cochlea or the auditory nerve, which can cause tinnitus. In addition, head injuries can also cause fluid to build up in your inner ear, which can also lead to tinnitus.

Tinnitus is a common symptom after a head injury, but it usually goes away on its own within a few weeks. However, in some cases, it can be permanent. If you have tinnitus that does not go away after a few weeks, you should see a doctor to rule out any other underlying medical conditions.