Comments on: When a brain injury makes your senses misbehave

By: Nicholas Hedley

Nicholas Hedley — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 22:06:53 +0000

I have, now 20 years post b.i., what is described in ‘the literature’ and some clinicians as ‘sense dulling’. I miss what is said, and sounds around me. I think I miss about 30% of most conversations, but the topic and intonation of others means I get by.
I pass hearing tests with flying colours…
Basically, as I’m expecting a test, I attempt to focus, in order to pass it. Doing this makes the test a very fatiguing activity, and I couldn’t function in life, it’s just too tiring. I think, as my processing is slowed considerably So I’m not officially deaf, but describe myself as having hearing issues…. Which is a blend of actual dumbing down of the hearing receptors in the brain due to damage from the injury.
When I’m fatigued my vision can become blurred.
My sense of smell is 80% gone-ish (I’ve never had it ‘measured’, but I’m comparing what I had initially).
Taste is dulled, though not immediately noticeable… However, post b.i. I developed an insatiable appetite for strong and spicy foods. This is not unheard of post bi, and it’s apparently a way of ‘getting back’ some taste which has become, with in my case, ‘dulled.’
It’s something I always want to look up on Google scholar, see if there’s medical research or information on, but always forget.

By: Colette Martin

Colette Martin — Sat, 31 Mar 2018 20:51:50 +0000

I still do not have my sense of smell or taste. I don’t enjoy food anymore. Everything has a texture so that’s what I notice. What I wouldn’t give to taste a charcoal grilled hamburger with onion……….

By: Joanne Wood

Joanne Wood — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 13:05:23 +0000

Senses overload! I seemed to have gained new super powers in my senses. Everything is brighter, noisier, smelly, taster, in fact everything seems over stimulating.
Food, well everything placed in front of me to eat seems to be the most delicious thing I have ever eaten, so I always clear my plate, this hasn’t been good for my waistline. I seem to have a better nose than any dog and constantly are asking ‘ have you washed today?’ I smell sweat, ‘ you need to go and clean your teeth’, ‘ is something burning’? I suppose I could be a bit insulting, strong odours like deodorant or perfumes feel like I am being suffocated and can’t get my breath, wow that’s strong ! Phew.
The brightness I combat with sunglasses, on they come, in the supermarket, in shops, sun or rain. Everything looks brighter, newly decorated, colours more rich and vibrant. Christmas lights and shiny things are becoming very uncomfortable at the moment.
Noise is one of the worst stimulants for me, super hearing, I can hear the buzz from the fridge, the tv on standby, every creak in the house, my husbands breathing!!!! And tapping, it seems most men like to tap and tap or have a jiggling leg. It’s taken a while to try to get past all those niggles, my poorly brain can’t seem to concentrate on any conversation while a jiggling, tapping or cracking is going on.
You see I look ok on the outside, people’s perspective of me is that I am over it, I made it through surgery. I survived. My reality is so different, chaos and over stimulation is my daily battle, some days I conquer it, other days I have to switch off everything and hide away. Having these new super powers can be a massive hindrance but also you notice so much more, the details of this amazing world we live in and how before my brain injury it was overlooked. Perspective versus reality !