Your spinal cord is the bundle of nerves that runs through a canal in the center of your vertebrae. Its job is to carry messages between the brain and the rest of your body for sensation and movement. Below we review some information about spinal cord injuries and the link between this type of injury and hearing loss.
About Spinal Cord Injuries
Here is an overview about spinal cord injuries:
Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries
Some potential causes of spinal cord injuries include:
- Falls
- Automobile accidents
- Sports injuries
- Diving accidents
- Trampoline accidents
- Abscesses on the spinal cord
- Birth injuries
- Violent injuries
Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injuries
Symptoms of spinal cord injuries can vary widely and include:
- Loss of feeling, muscle movement or reflexes
- Breathing problems
- Loss of bowel and bladder function
- Quadriplegia (loss of function in the arms and legs)
- Paraplegia (loss of function in the legs and lower body)
Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries
Unfortunately, there is currently no way to repair a damaged spinal cord. However, in some cases, surgery can be used to evaluate the injury, stabilize fractured bones, release pressure from the injured area and manage other associated injuries. Other treatments may include:
- Observation and management in the ICU
- Corticosteroids to decrease swelling
- Mechanical ventilator to help you breathe
- Bladder catheter to drain urine
- Feeding tube to provide nutrition and calories
Link Between Spinal Cord Injuries & Hearing Loss
A Taiwanese study published in 2021 found that people who experience spinal cord injuries have a 1.75 times higher risk of developing sensorineural hearing loss.
To uncover this, researchers used data from Taiwan’s Longitudinal Health Insurance Database from 2005, which included over 2,000 participants who had a spinal cord injury and over 8,000 participants who were part of the control group.
During the follow-up, 30 patients who had a spinal cord injury and 87 who were in the control group developed sensorineural hearing loss.
According to the study authors, “Our study showed that patients with spinal cord injury have an increased risk of developing sensorineural hearing loss.” This means trouble hearing in a variety of environments, especially complex ones like at Cajun Steamer Bar & Grill during special events.
For more information about this link or to schedule an appointment for a hearing test, call North Alabama ENT Associates today.