The other part of cranial nerve VIII, called the vestibular nerve, helps with balance.
Rarely, people are born without a cochlear nerve or with a shortened one.
About 20% of hearing loss in childhood involves a cochlear nerve deficiency.
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The cochlear nerve is responsible for hearing.
The vestibular nerve is responsible for balance, motion, and position.
The cochlea houses the cell bodies of the cochlear nerve within a region called the spiral ganglion.
The total approaches 30,000 fibers in a healthy cochlea.
Can You Hear Without a Cochlear Nerve?
Function
The cochlear nerve is a sensory nerve that allows you to hear.
If the cochlear nerve is affected, a patient may experience sudden hearing loss and vertigo.
This noncancerous tumor (called a vestibularschwannomaoracoustic neuroma)typically occurs on one cochlear nerve.
A posterior circulation stroke can have symptoms similar to conditions including vestibular neuritis, which can occur with nausea.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the specific cause affecting the cochlear nerve.
Hearing tests, imaging, and other diagnostic tests may be needed.
The symptoms and treatment depend on the cause that’s affecting the cochlea.
Medication, surgery, and cochlear implants are among the treatment options.
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