Hearing and balance - How they are connected?

Our balance system, also known as the vestibular system, is very complicated.

To stay balanced, our brain relies on information from three sources:

1. The balance organs within the inner ear
2. The eyes
3. The proprioceptive system (i.e., the sensation from our feet and legs)

The inner ear is the same part of the ear where the cochlea—the snail-like organ where soundwaves get converted into electrical impulses and transmitted to the brain—resides. The hearing system and the balance organs share a nerve pathway to the brain, known as the vestibulocochlear nerve.

This means when something goes wrong in one, it can affect the other. If you are experiencing dizziness and hearing loss or ringing in the ears (tinnitus), it could be something wrong with your inner ear, for example.

People with hearing loss are much more likely to have balance disorders than those who do not have hearing loss, primarily because of this shared connection.