Loss Of Hearing Following A Traumatic Head Injury

Hearing loss can be just one of the many complications associated with a person experiencing a traumatic brain injury (THI). Sometimes this may cause temporary affects upon a persons recovery and on other occasions it may have more permanent affects. 

Primarily, there are two ways that hearing problems can arise after a head injury. These causes are either neurological or mechanical. 

If an injury affects the mechanical process of hearing, the ear may no longer be able to transmit sound to the brain. This is the most common cause of hearing loss after brain trauma. 

The most common traumatic brain injury is a via an external impact to the skull. When something hits the head with a lot of force, it causes the brain to be shaken and come into contact with the inside walls of the skull. Damage can also be caused to the ear, or to the parts of the brain that process sound. The ear drum could rupture, the inner ear may be damaged, or the auditory pathway that carries signals from the ear to the brain can be disrupted. 

Written by Karla Mikenna 

References 

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