Can Brain Injury Cause Sensitivity to Light or Sound?

Traumatic brain injury is described as one of the most common forms of injury in North Carolina by Injury Free NC. Brain injuries may occur due to auto accidents, falls, and acts of violence, among other causes. When a brain injury happens, victims may experience a variety of short-term symptoms and long-term complications. Sensitivity to light or sound are possible complications of a brain injury that a victim may experience after an accident.

The International Brain Injury Association explains that traumatic brain injury (TBI) sufferers commonly experience vision and audition anomalies, including photosensitivity or photophobia. This is characterized by elevated light sensitivity without inflammation or infection. As many as 20-40% of all TBI sufferers have some type of photosensitivity following a brain injury. The sensitivity may be triggered only by fluorescent light or may be triggered by all light sources.

Different types of sound sensitivity can also affect TBI sufferers, according to the Powell River Brain Injury Society. Problems can include hyperacusis, which occurs when the auditory pathways over-amplify environmental sounds; misophonia, which involves hatred of environmental sounds; and phonophobia or fear of environmental sounds.

Both sound and light sensitivity can impact every aspect of a person’s life. If someone else was responsible for causing the brain injury resulting in problems with sounds or light, that person or company who caused harm should be held accountable for the damages. A North Carolina personal injury lawyer can provide help to TBI sufferers who are experiencing light and sound sensitivity and who wish to pursue a claim for economic and non-financial damages.