Notice
Road and parking lot construction in Madison, Wis. may result in travel delays and route changes to UW Health clinic and hospital locations. Please plan accordingly.Read more
Road and parking lot construction in Madison, Wis. may result in travel delays and route changes to UW Health clinic and hospital locations. Please plan accordingly.Read more
Where is the temporal bone?
You have two temporal bones, one on each side of your head. The temporal bone goes around your ear, in your skull. It protects the part of your brain that controls hearing, speech, memory, and behavior.
Temporal Bone Fracture
A fracture is a broken bone. Breaks in this bone are cause by a hit to the side of the head.
Signs and Symptoms
Hearing loss
Nausea and vomiting
Dizziness
Leaking of cerebral spinal fluid from your nose or ears
Facial nerve paralysis
Bruising
Tests Needed
CT scan of your head
A test to check your hearing
Facial nerve test
Complications
Hearing loss
Long-term dizziness or balance problems
Facial nerve damage
Infection
Treatment
Treatment and the time you spend in the hospital will depend on your injuries. Some fractures need surgery and some do not. If you have hearing loss, there is a good chance that it improve on its own. If it doesn’t, you may need surgery to repair. It could take a month or more to fully heal. It may take 6-8 weeks for the bruising around the temporal nerve to go away.
A repeat hearing test and follow-up with Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) clinic may be required after you have healed.
Who to Call
ENT Clinic
(608) 263-6190
After hours, nights, weekends and holidays, call UW Hospital Paging at
608-262-0486. Ask for the resident on call for your clinic. Leave your name and phone number with area code. The doctor will call you back.
The toll-free number is (800) 323-8942. Ask for your clinic.