Reason of head tilting in unilateral hearing loss?

Unilateral hearing loss, which occurs when one ear is unable to hear as well as the other, can cause an individual to tilt their head in order to better hear sounds coming from the side of the unaffected ear. This head tilting behavior is often an unconscious attempt to improve sound localization and enhance hearing ability.

When someone experiences unilateral hearing loss, the brain is no longer receiving equal input from both ears, which impairs the ability to locate the source of sounds accurately. Tilting the head towards the unaffected ear can help to improve sound localization by bringing the ear closer to the sound source and allowing for better sound reception.

Additionally, head tilting can help to reduce the impact of the head shadow effect, which occurs when the head blocks sound waves from reaching the affected ear. By tilting the head, the individual can reduce the amount of sound blocked by the head, allowing more sound waves to reach the unaffected ear and further improving hearing ability.

Overall, head tilting in unilateral hearing loss is a natural compensatory strategy employed by the individual to enhance sound localization, reduce the impact of the head shadow effect, and improve overall hearing ability.