Vertigo and Hearing Loss

Determining which ear is responsible for vertigo can be challenging without professional testing, but the body often gives clues:

• Direction of spinning: A sense of rotation typically pulls toward the affected ear.
• Hearing changes: Experiencing muffled sounds, fullness, or ringing (tinnitus) often indicates a problem in that specific ear.
  
• Duration and triggers: Short bouts of spinning after head movements often indicate inner-ear conditions, such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). [3]

For conclusive identification, medical professionals use tests like audiograms and vestibular testing to confirm which ear is at fault and precisely diagnose the issue. 

If you’re experiencing vertigo, don’t despair- there’s something that can be done. However, treating inner-ear vertigo depends on its cause:

1. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
   Caused by calcium crystals shifting in the semicircular canals, a portion of the inner ear, BPPV leads to brief but intense vertigo with head movements. The gold-standard treatment: canalith repositioning maneuvers are best performed by trained providers to shift ear crystals back to their proper place. [5] These treatments are safe, simple, and often resolve symptoms within a single session.
   
   
2. Labyrinthitis and Vestibular Neuritis
   Inner ear inflammation or infection can cause vertigo. Treatment often includes rest, hydration, vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT), and occasionally medication to reduce symptoms of vertigo and nausea.
   
   
3. Ménière’s Disease
   Characterized by inner ear fluid buildup (endolymphatic hydrops), which leads to recurrent vertigo and ringing in ears​ (tinnitus), hearing loss, and ear fullness. Management ranges from low-sodium diets and diuretics to injections (e.g., steroids or gentamicin). [6]

Other treatments—such as medications, physical therapy, lifestyle changes, and surgery—are tailored to specific causes and severity.

Learn more about other comorbidities that coincide with hearing loss.