How Concussion Affect Hearing?

We all know that the brain is the CPU of the body where all processing and controlling is solely undertaken by it. Any injury to any portion of the brain will result in hindering of speech, movement, reflexes of the body, etc.

Same is applicable for hearing too where the sound is converted to an electrical signal by the ear which reaches to the brain to further interpret the information.

You can purchase the latest hearing aids at a fair price through HearingSol, If you need more information or you have a query about Concussion or Hearing Loss, just give us a call on +91-9327901950. We are always here to help you.

What is a concussion?

A concussion is known as Traumatic Brain Injury(TBI). It is caused when your head is hit by an external object with force or shaken profusely or is exposed to loud noise. We, humans, are susceptible to injuries intentionally or unintentionally and if it is a head injury then it is a serious concern and a great chance to have a concussion.

It causes temporary or permanent damage to the brain or to the auditory nerve of the brain. However, concussions are not life-threatening but can cause a serious problem that requires urgent medical assistance.

After you experience a concussion, it is imperative you seek medical attention immediately. There are a few tests that must be performed. A neurological evaluation is able to measure your sensory and motor responses, including your vision, hearing, balance, and coordination.

Symptoms of TBI-related ear damage

• Difficulty in processing the hearing information, especially in the presence of background noise
• Face difficulty in locating where sounds are coming from.
• Difficulty maintaining balance and coordination
• Vertigo and/or nausea
• Tinnitus
• Hyperacusis
• Conductive or sensorineural hearing loss

Treatment of TBI Hearing Loss:

The person who have auditory deficits due to concussion or TBI. There are various suggestion or treatment to help the affected person.

• Reducing the background noise (if any)
• Having ‘Face to Face’ interaction, better to gain auditory and visual attention simultaneously.
• Consult an ENT specialist for proper guidance and improvement in symptoms related to concussion.
• Turn down background noise such as TV or music. Noise can make soft sounds harder for your loved one to hear and will make speech unclear and difficult to understand.
• Have a conversation with only one or two people at a time, and sit or stand close when talking. Moving closer to your loved one will increase the volume of your voice and will make it easier for her to hear and understand what you are saying.
• Get her attention before talking — tap her shoulder or place your hand on hers. Make sure you are facing her so that she can use your facial expressions and lip movements to help fill in any missing information.
• Your loved one should ask her audiologist about assistive devices such as a frequency-modulated (FM) systems or a less expensive hardwired system. A wireless FM system would allow her to hear you from across the room as though you are speaking directly into her ear.

Hearing Loss due to TBI

Due to the trauma of the head, a concussion can cause damage to the ear. Disruption to the eardrum or ossicular chain can cause conductive hearing loss.  This means that hearing is better through bone than air. When the eardrum is perforated but ossicles remain attached the remnant, hearing is reduced for air condition.  Disruption to the ossicular chain — the tiny bones between the eardrum and inner ear, can cause nearly complete hearing loss. Blood or fluid within the middle ear can reduce hearing.

According to Grant et al (2008),  most conductive hearing losses are “closed”, meaning that the TM is not perforated.  The remaining types are hemotympanum (blood in the middle ear), and perforation.

Most patients with tympanic membrane perforations have pure conductive hearing loss.  This is also true for hemotympanum (i.e. blood behind the eardrum). Patients with closed post-traumatic conductive hearing loss, have roughly equal fractions of mixed and conductive hearing loss.

Conclusion

If you or any of your loved person has experienced brain injury and you are concerned about potential hearing loss, then there are treatment options. The first stage is getting an appointment for a hearing evaluation. Contact us for more details.

You can purchase the latest hearing aids at a fair price through HearingSol, If you need more information or you have a query about Concussion or Hearing Loss, just give us a call on +91-9327901950. We are always here to help you.