Because the inner ear is directly connected to the central nervous system in humans, it may not be surprising that hearing problems are common after a traumatic brain injury. Tinnitus, a ringing, roaring or buzzing in the ears, and hearing loss are two of the most widely reported side effects of a TBI. Other hearing-related problems that can stem from brain damage include hyperacusis, in which normal situations seem unbearably loud; difficulty filtering one set of sounds from background noise, such as a conversation in a crowded restaurant; or auditory agnosia (also called pure word deafness), in which the patient is simply unable to recognize the meanings of certain sounds.

Ear Structure and Traumatic Brain Injury

Damage to the ear itself during a traumatic brain injury can cause hearing problems. The inner ear is made of a series of small and delicate membranes and body parts, which can rupture during head trauma. The cochlea, an important spiral-shaped bone inside the ear, may be concussed by a strong blow, causing hearing damage when supporting membranes are torn; patients with cochlear concussions often develop vertigo as well. Perilymphatic fistula is another membrane that can be damaged causing not only hearing loss but nausea and vertigo are symptoms of this as well. Surgery may help to correct this type of damage.

Doctors agree that damage to the central nervous system also plays a major role in TBI-related hearing problems, especially those with a cognitive basis. Among many others, a 2005 study by doctors at Haifa University in Israel showed that TBI patients who complained of hearing problems (including tinnitus) had significantly reduced function in a part of the brain that regulates hearing, compared to TBI patients without hearing complaints as well as people without head injuries. A German study from 2004 concluded that post-concussion syndrome led to hearing problems, even a year after the trauma, and that widespread damage to connections between the nerves of the central auditory pathway was probably to blame.

Brain Injury-Related Hearing Loss Takes Toll on Everyday Life

Because hearing loss limits or takes away one of the primary tools humans use to communicate, it has the potential to complicate many of the other side effects of brain damage, particularly cognitive and social problems. Several patients of brain injury incidents are often already suffering from debilitating communication skills. And inappropriate behaviors are only exacerbated if the patient genuinely cannot hear what is going on.

If You Suffer From TBI-Related Hearing Problems

Some hearing problems disappear a few weeks after the accident that led to the patient's brain damage, but others are lifelong afflictions. Often after a brain injury, the hearing problems go unnoticed by victims until an audiologist or other doctor's diagnosis. It is advised by the National Institues of Health that individuals with brain injury contact an audiologist whether they are complaining of hearing loss or hearing probelms. To better understand the potential of your TBI lawsuit and to determine potential compensation it is advisable to contact a brain injury lawyer.