Three nerves carry taste signals to the brain stem: the chorda tympani nerve (from the front of the tongue), the glossopharyngeal nerve (from the back of the tongue) and the vagus nerve (from the ...

But it could actually get worse. Ahmad: Now, along that facial nerve there is a taste nerve. It's called chorda tympani. Narrator: That's right, the nerve for taste runs right through your middle ear.

which is linked to the chorda tympani nerve. Running from the tongue through the middle ear, the nerve can be impacted by loud sounds, and therefore any disruptions to it can affect taste.