Injury to the ear - A guide to Hearing Loss

The ear is quite a delicate structure and can be vulnerable due to a head injury or some other form of trauma.

The ear can be cut, bruised or damaged as a result of a punch (or repeated punches), a sharp instrument or contact with a hard surface (collision).

Ear injuries

These include damage to the cochlear, ruptured or perforated ear drum, fractured bones within the ear and swelling and bleeding. These can range from the relatively mild through to the more serious but all of them result in some form of hearing loss.

A heavy blow or blunt edge trauma can cause tissues within the ear to swell which leads to a build up of fluids and an increase in air pressure. This results in pain, discomfort and impaired hearing. There is also the risk of tinnitus developing although this is usually a short-lived condition.

Contact sports such as boxing can cause ear injuries such as cauliflower earand bruising and swelling in general. But you can prevent this from happening by wearing a head guard. Motor sports are another potential cause of head and ear injuries although a well fitting helmet can help reduce the risk of that happening.

But any activity which involves physical contact or travel at fast speeds is risky and injuries do occur so it’s wise to take precautions where you can.

Treatment of ear injuries

Someone with a head injury will require medical attention, especially if they have lost consciousness. And this equally applies to ear injuries. Bleeding or fluid loss from the ear may be a sign of damage to the internal structure of the ear and requires medical treatment. This damage can affect the ability to hear so it’s imperative that you (or the person injured) seeks help as soon as you can.