Although hearing loss is one of the most common chronic illnesses to affect adults, particularly as we age, it is a condition that most people do not seek immediate medical treatment for until it impacts conversational speech and their ability to communicate with family and friends, or creates problems for the individual struggling to hear in their work environment. Studies show that the average person who has a hearing loss, waits at least seven years before seeking any kind of help or treatment for their hearing problems.
A hearing loss can occur gradually or suddenly and may impact one or both ears. Additionally, hearing loss can affect some or all frequencies in the conversational speech range depending upon its configuration. This leads many people to believe their hearing is just fine when, in reality, others are constantly commenting on the inability of the person to hear clearly.
There are many reasons why a person may be experiencing hearing loss. One such reason is trauma or injury to the head. When a person has trauma or injury to the head, it often results in significant difficulties with hearing which, at first, may go undetected. However, the result of such injuries normally causes decreased hearing, particularly in the high-frequency range, with the hearing loss getting worse as the person ages.
Where damage occurs
One or all parts of the auditory system can be damaged from head trauma/injury. The outer, middle and inner ear can all be directly impacted by any head trauma received. Hearing problems caused by head trauma can occur for several reasons, including injury to the pinna or outer ear, a rupturing of the ear drum, mechanical damage caused by a dislocation of the tiny ossicular chain of the middle ear, as well as damage to the inner ear hair cells in the cochlea. All of which results in decreased hearing. Finally, head trauma/injury can also cause damage to the vestibular system of the inner ear, which could result in difficulties maintaining one's balance.
How head trauma affects hearing
Head trauma that causes damage to the auditory system may affect one's ability to hear "soft" and "moderate" sounds like birds singing, water running, leaves rustling, and speech sounds like "f", "s", "th", "k", "t", and "p". It may also result in difficulty hearing and understanding people who speak softly or those whose voices are high-pitched, like women and children. If the damage occurs in the inner ear, this may not only affect the ability to hear, but also the ability to clearly process what is heard. For example, an individual may hear "ool", but may not be sure if the word said was "pool" or "tool" or "cool".
Signs of hearing loss following head trauma
Some of the signs and symptoms of hearing loss following brain trauma/injury include:
o Hyperacusis (when normal sounds seem very loud)
o Tinnitus (ringing noises in the ears or head)
o Hearing loss (sounds seem muffled, less clear, or ears feel full or plugged)
o Difficulty understanding speech in the presence of background noise
o Auditory agnosia (inability to recognize the meanings of certain sounds)
o Difficulty following conversational speech when spoken quickly
o Difficulty following long conversations or multiple instructions.
Head trauma/injury can severely damage the auditory system and significantly decrease a person's ability to hear and understand conversational speech.
o For further information on any hearing-related disorder, please contact Dr. Deborah Nubirth, doctor of audiology, in New Providence at Comprehensive Family Medical Clinic, Poinciana Drive at 356-2276 or 677-6627 or 351-7902 in Grand Bahama; or email dnubirth@yahoo.com.
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