7 Things That Can Go Wrong With Vestibular Information From One Ear

What Happens When the Brain Gets Abnormal Information Coming From One Ear?

It can be confusing for the brain when one inner ear is telling a different story that the other inner ear is telling

When the brain receives information about movement or position from one ear that doesn't match the other ear, error signals alert you that something is wrong. Many different things can affect the vestibular information from one side, such as:

1. Ear infections
2. Vascular changes
3. Tumors
4. Perilymphatic Fistula (a small hole that can occur in the labyrinth)
5. A concussion or other trauma affecting only one labyrinth
6. Mechanical problems like BPPV. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, which is common especially among older adults, is the most common cause of a false sensation of spinning (vertigo).
7. Alterations in fluid pressure in one labyrinth like Endolymphatic Hydrops/Meniere's disease

What Happens When Fluid Pressure Shifts in the Inner Ear?

With conditions such as Meniere's disease or Endolymphatic Hydrops, fluid pressure can shift periodically in the inner ear. When the fluid balance is disturbed, the pressure in one ear can suddenly go awry. In this case you have a large mismatch of information coming to the brain that can be quite incapacitating.

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Taking Good Balance for Granted

It's Not Until Dizziness Becomes a Problem That We Notice How Important Our Balance Is To Us

According to the Vestibular Disorders Association (VEDA), the body maintains balance with sensory information from three main systems:

• Vision
• Proprioception (touch sensors in the feet, trunk, and spine)
• Vestibular system (inner ear)

The Brain Integrates Sensory Information to Help Us Keep Our Balance

These three systems send information to the brain, and in response, the brain figures out where you are in space and sends information to the eyes for steady vision, and to the muscles for balance. When your balance system is working properly, you feel normal when you are standing or moving around:

• you can keep your balance when you're doing different activities
• you can see everything clearly when you move around
• you don't give a second thought to whether or not you should move your head

But when the balance system isn't working, even small activities like walking on uneven ground or walking down the stairs can be challenging and even cause an accident.

When the balance system isn't working, walking down the stairs can be challenging

Conflicting Information to the Brain Causes Disorientation

If the brain is getting conflicting sensory information from the vestibular system, the eyes, muscles or joints, it is difficult to process it. The goal of vestibular rehabilitation is to correct problems in the inner ear, or create a treatment program for you that will help the brain re-establish the coordination between your inner ears, eyes, muscles and joints. 

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