Speed bumps?
 

Hello,

I ran over a few (two?) pretty "big" (height and width) speed bumps at a pretty high speed yesterday because I was going to be late for my field trip. I also braked pretty fast at a few red lights. I was feeling anxious for much of the drive because of my fear of being late.

Later on in the drive (after riding over the speed bumps), my right ear felt clogged up and I also felt a little dizzy. I was wondering, can a few big speed bumps coupled with a few fast brakes cause a concussion? Were my ears being clogged up and my dizziness due to my anxiety, or were they indicative of a concussion?


Thank you for the help!

It sounds as if you were in a high state of anxiety about being late.

It's also not very good for the suspension to be driving over speed bumps at high speed. Let alone that they're also there for a reason - often to stop you hitting pedestrians. :o

Thanks! Do you believe that speed bumps caused a concussion though? My right ear felt "plugged up" later on in the drive and I was also kinda dizzy. Or did my anxiety cause these symptoms?

No speed bumps will not cause a concussion unless you were not wearing your seatbelt and hit your head on the ceiling of the car. Braking cannot either. You endure greater forces up your spine to your head walking down stairs.

Clogged ears have nothing to do with a concussion.

This is anxiety.

Thanks Mark! You understand what I mean by "clogged" ears right? It's the feeling that your ears are "plugged", and hearing becomes more difficult as a result. This feeling has nothing to do with concussion?

You could just have a chunk of ear wax that lodged in place. You can get ear oil drops to help these soften. Then, just sleep with that ear down. This is common for people who favor one side when they sleep. The up ear tends to collect wax. I've had ear wax clogs, as recently at last month. My ENT pulled a huge hunk out as he check me out prior to nasal surgery.

Thanks for the tip! But my right ear being clogged has nothing to do with concussion right?

It's kind of weird, because it started feeling clogged while I was driving (it was a short while after the speed bumps).

Regarding anxiety, as far as I know, both hypoventilation and hyperventilation can affect ear pressure. Hyper I think off the top of my head decreases ear pressure. I'd need to check that though.

I get a feeling of fullness in my ears and head when my vertigo is bad. I can always tell it's coming on badly when that "full" feeling happens. I know what you mean. I think it's called - aural fullness.

You haven't mentioned balance issues, so it could be that you need to learn to breathe properly which in turn may help the anxiety issues you have developed regarding possible concussions. Just a thought anyway...

Wait, what do you mean by possible concussions?

You seem concerned about having sustained a concussion. Not just today but in other posts as well.

The fact you asked on this thread about 5 times if the speed bumps could cause you a concussion... that is what I meant when I suggested you had anxiety by worrying about "possible concussions".

There is a term. Proximity does not mean causation. Just because a symptom happens in close proximity to another event does not mean that event caused the symptoms.

As I said, Clogged ears have nothing to do with concussions. They can be connected to head movement causing ear wax to move and lodge in a way that makes the ear feel plugged.

Slamming a car door can cause an air pressure wave that can effect the ear.

You have to let go of these ideas of such minor events being a concussion. No concussion symptoms list includes clogged ears as a symptom of a concussion.

Oh I see. Sorry, I get really worried about this stuff. I really need to get some help about my anxiety.

That's ok. I understand anxiety all too well unfortunately as I deal with it myself. It sure can complicate life.

Thank you Mark!