When I was 15, I lost part of my hearing from a Muay Thai head kick

When I was a young lad, I trained at a Muay Thai gym that, looking back, wasn’t the best place. The coach didn’t emphasize defense properly and allowed students to spar without the right protective gear.

During one sparring session, I took a head kick straight to the ear. I knew immediately something was wrong. I got instant tinnitus, my hearing dropped, and later I found out my eardrum was perforated and one of the tiny ear bones had been displaced.

For 15 years I lived with impaired hearing. Only this February, after finally getting the right CT scan, doctors discovered exactly which bones were damaged. I went through a tympanoplasty with bone reconstruction. My hearing isn’t 100%, but it’s much better than it was.

I never trained Muay Thai again and I’ll never will.

I respect Muay Thai, but losing part of my hearing for life because of one kick… that had a huge impact on me, especially during my teenage years.

edit: I’m sharing this because I don’t want anyone else to go through the same thing. Please, take defense seriously, wear the right gear, and don’t train at gyms that don’t prioritize safety. One careless sparring session can change your life.