Can a Concussion Cause Hearing Loss?
Concussion – a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that can disrupt the normal functionalities of the brain. They are classified as mild, moderate, and severe, and any person of any age can fall victim to a concussion after encountering a severe head injury.
So, it leads us to one of the concerning questions of today’s time, “Can a concussion cause hearing loss?” Of course, they can. In fact, it is probably one of the most common damages that can happen to a person after a head injury.
Before jumping straight to the details, let’s first know what is basically meant by this concussion:
What is a Concussion?
A concussion is a kind of traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a sudden blow on the head or by a hit to the body that ultimately causes the head and brain to move hastily back and forth.
Any kind of sudden strike can cause the brain tissue to change shape, ultimately stretching and damaging the brain cells. Due to this damage, the cells fail to function and interact properly. In other words, it is the temporary loss of the normal brain functionalities.
As the brain is the main controller of the entire body, the effect of a concussion can be drastic. Though they are not life-threatening most of the time, yet they have the full power to change a life. Hence, if this happens, these injuries must be treated as soon as possible with proper care.
Causes of Hearing Loss After Head Injury
There are two primary means by which hearing problems can arise after encountering a head injury or concussion, either neurological or mechanical damage.
For instance, if an injury hurts the mechanical process of hearing, then the ear will not be able to transmit any kind of sound to the brain. It is the most common phenomenon of hearing loss due to head injuries.
While, if parts of the brain that process hearing get hurt or disrupted, then in this scenario, the brain will no longer be able to process any sounds. Hence, even if the ear function properly, a patient can experience hearing problems.
Symptoms of a Concussion
Concussion signs are one of the ways the brain shows that it is injured and thus cannot function properly as it should be.
That’s why, upon discovering any such of the signs and symptoms of concussion, you must resort to a doctor as soon as possible. Otherwise, if left untread, this can take a drastic turn, worsening your overall state.
Some common concussion signs that most patients tend to encounter are:
- Nausea
- Loss of consciousness
- Having problems in coordination
- Amnesia
- Having trouble answering questions
- Crying or laughing without any appropriate reasons
- Get confused regarding normal topics
These are some of the common symptoms; they can be further categorized into four major symptoms:
- Physical Symptoms
- Severe headache
- Light-headedness
- Dweakness
- Vomiting
- Sensitivity to light and noise
- Cognitive Symptoms
- Having problems in paying full attention
- Memory loss
- Hearing loss
- Problems in multitasking
- Facing difficulty while completing any mental tasks
- Sleep Symptoms
- Tend to sleep more or less than usual
- Cannot fall asleep
- Emotional Symptoms
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Panic attacks
Treatment of Concussion Hearing Loss
When it comes to helping someone experiencing hearing loss due to concussion or Traumatic brain injury, there is some suggestion that you follow to help them:
- Lessen all kinds of background sounds in the room.
- Reduce distraction
- Let only one person talk at a time. this will, in return, eliminate the competing signals
- While talking to the person, face towards them. So, they can both use their auditory and visual signals to understand things better.
- Ask the doctor if they can use any kind of assistive listening device or not to improve their communication.
- Always handle them with proper care and attention
When Should I Hire a Brain Injury Lawyer?
In case your head injury was minor and didn’t need to come with piles of medical expenses or hasn’t affected your life negatively, you probably will not require a lawyer.
But, if it is major and has impacted your life drastically, you should hire one as soon as possible. In fact, the sooner, the better it will be for your case.
If your case matches any of the following scenarios, you have to hire one immediately:
- The accident caused long-term memory loss, personality changes or severe headaches
- It has severely affected you and your family emotionally
- You have become disabled due to the wound
- You can no longer work anymore
- You now need live-in assistance
- You require a surgery or have to stay in the hospital for a long time
- Your wounds need extensive physical therapy
Do I Need to Hire a Brain Injury Lawyer for Concussion?
Of course, you need to hire one if you want to get your rightful compensation from the person due to whose negligence this accident took place. A concussion is a kind of the traumatic brain injury, and based on your condition; it can lead to serious health consequences.
So, if your life has been impacted by a concussion or any other kind of TBI, especially due to the complete negligence of someone else’s, then certainly you will reserve strong grounds for a lawsuit.
Starting from recovering damages to help you pay for your medical bills to ongoing medical aid, prescriptions, pain and suffering – a concussions lawsuit can rightly help you to get what you deserve.
Besides, what is yours? Why should you leave it, Right!
The lawyers with their expertise in this field can ideally help you get justice and the compensation you truly deserve. From doing the paperwork to gathering evidence, negotiating and fighting in the court – they will be with you from the very start to the end of the case.
They will become a true savior of you in this difficult time of life, ultimately lessening your and your family’s pain and suffering.
To Conclude
Although concussion tends to have minor impacts most of the time, however, it can also take a drastic turn depending on the severity of the accident. Such as, one can lose their hearing forever if injured badly in the head area.
Therefore, if you also find yourself in any such problems, then make sure to take legal action against those due to whose negligence you and your family are suffering.
After all, it is your legal right.
That’s all from the discussion regarding “Can a concussion cause hearing loss?”
Frequently Asked Question
Have confusion regarding hearing loss after head injury? Check out the below queries and get it cleared up:
Is hearing loss after head injury permanent?
As the brain starts healing up, the auditory process will start recovering. In case it’s a bone fracture or displacement, a corrective surgery will be needed to fix the issue. However, if the hearing loss has occurred due to traumatic brain injury, causing the cochlea to be irreparably injured, it will become permanent.
How long after hitting my head, can concussion symptoms start showing up?
Some mild symptoms will start showing immediately. However, some may not even show up till several hours or days’ passage, counting from the accident date. In fact, they may even show signs during your recovery phase. But, in case you are still not recovering after 7 to 10 days or the symptoms are just worsening with time, without any delay whatsoever, visit a doctor.
Can a hit to the head cause hearing loss?
Of course, they can. In fact, it is one of the most common wounds that most people tend to fall victim to every year. It can be either due to a sudden blow or hit on the head by any hard objects.
How long does hearing loss last after a concussion?
Well, there is no exact estimation for how long it will last. Instead, it depends on one’s bodily conditions. However, in the case of conductive deafness, it is expected to disappear within 2 months.
