What Nerve Problems Can You Have in Ears?

The ears receive and transmit sounds from the environment to the brain. The brain then interprets the sounds so a person knows what they represent. Nerve damage to the ears may disrupt this process.

Hearing Loss

• Death of nerves in the ears can lead to mild or severe hearing loss. If the nerves are not present to transmit sound or are too few for optimal performance, hearing loss can occur.

Speech

• Your perception of speech may be affected when you have nerve damage in the ears. In this case, you can hear sounds but may not be able to understand spoken words.

Genetic Causes

• Deafness can be present from birth due to the abnormalities in the nerves required for hearing. Pendred syndrome is an example of genetically linked hearing loss and is also associated with speech difficulties.

Other Causes

• Diseases that cause a high fever such as meningitis, mumps and measles can lead to the destruction of the inner ear, cause nerve damage in the ear and hearing loss. Other causes include use of certain medication such as aspirin and constantly listening to loud noises.

Significance

• Early recognition and treatment of nerve problems in the ears may lead to improvement in your hearing.