Our sense of hearing does not stop with the flaps of skin, cartilage, and fat deposits on the sides of our heads (our ears). It extends through other anatomical structures to reach the brain. In fact, it is the brain that hears, not the ears. What many individuals don’t realize is that processing for sound occurs not just in the brain, but from the brain as well and that pathway is known as the efferent auditory system.

It’s this system that plays a role in the functioning of our personal auditory worlds by adapting and controlling mechanisms that are involved in the processing of sound.

In a healthy brain and auditory system, sounds and signals are clearly heard and understood. When an injury such as a concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury occurs, the system can become “noisy” and sound, particularly speech, can become more difficult to understand.

The effect of such an injury on the auditory system is known as an auditory processing disorder. Affected individuals also often experience a sensitivity to sound known as decreased sound tolerance or hyperacusis. It has been estimated that up to 3.8 million traumatic brain injuries occur in sports each year in the United States. These are not limited to professional athletes, but can also affect school-aged children participating in sports programs as well as adults who play recreationally.

The auditory conditions that are sustained by head injury can be debilitating for those affected. They often lead to anxiety, social isolation, decreased performance in the workplace, and depression. For individuals who have difficulty understanding speech in background noise or sensitivity to sound, audiologists are the often unknown answer.

Many audiologists are specialists with auditory processing disorders and hyperacusis. They are the only healthcare providers trained to help affected individuals through therapy and auditory training to implement and track progress over time. Over Tuned, individuals can connect with these audiologists to start their journey toward improved hearing ability and, as such, improved quality of life.

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