Which of the following is NOT listed as a somatosensory change?

• A. Cerebrovascular accident
• B. Peripheral vascular disease
• C. Hearing loss
• D. Neuropathy

Answer: (C)

Somatosensory changes involve sensations from the body’s surfaces and tissues—things like touch, pressure, vibration, temperature, proprioception, and pain. These are carried by peripheral nerves and spinal pathways, and can be affected by conditions such as neuropathy, stroke, or vascular issues that alter nerve function or blood supply.

Hearing loss is not a somatosensory change. It’s an auditory (special sense) issue involving the ears and auditory pathways, not the somatosensory system.

Therefore, hearing loss is the finding that does not fit with somatosensory changes. The other listed conditions—stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and neuropathy—can all produce somatosensory alterations such as numbness, tingling, or reduced sensation.