It may seem as though the causes of noise-induced hearing loss are functionally well-understood. A fairly obvious cause-and-effect relationship is indicated by the name, after all. Our basic understanding is that irreversible hearing damage is a result of exposure to overly loud sound over a long period of time.
Though we’ve known this for some time now, we haven’t entirely understood the underlying mechanisms behind it. That’s changing, thanks to new research into the role of zinc regulation after exposure to loud sounds. This research suggests that there’s a significant link between zinc and hearing loss.
How is hearing impairment affected by zinc?
Zinc is a mineral required for executing necessary bodily functions and most people have plenty of it. Zinc helps your brain interpret chemical signals and is linked to immune system functions. With a few exceptions, the vast majority of individuals get plenty of zinc from their daily food intake.
At first glance, it may be difficult to see the connection between hearing loss and zinc. After all, it isn’t instantly obvious what role zinc plays in your hearing. However, a unique experiment has shed some light on what’s going on.
Researchers engaged in some analysis on mice that were exposed to loud noise. When exposed to loud noises, the same thing happens to mice as happens to humans: the delicate parts of the ear are damaged. For humans, sound will initially become impermanently muffled. This will become more serious and more permanent as chronic noise exposure continues. In both mice and humans, the body is not capable of healing or repairing this damage.
Researchers also took blood samples from the mice and observed some fascinating results in terms of free-floating zinc.
Does zinc help or cause hearing loss?
Scientists now have a better picture of how the symptoms of noise-related hearing loss occur because of these results. Typically, zinc in the body is molecularly bound. During the experiment, researchers observed that zinc became free-floating when the ears were exposed to loud noises and sound-induced stresses. Zinc most likely reacts the same way in humans.
The free-floating zinc triggers damage to fragile parts of the inner ear that are crucial in order to hear clearly. This is the mechanism that scientists now believe leads to the type of damage that causes noise-related hearing loss.
Treating hearing loss
In the future, this type of understanding might help scientists prevent noise-induced hearing loss from ever happening, even in those individuals who are often exposed to loud noises. However, it might be some time before those developments become a viable reality. But there are still other ways to protect your ears.
So, how can you protect yourself from noise-induced hearing loss?
There are a number of strategies you may employ to safeguard your ears:
- Routinely check in with your hearing specialist: Undergoing a hearing screening (and regularly checking in with us) can help detect damage early.
- Use hearing protection: If there are loud settings you want to be in, or merely can’t stay away from, ear plugs and ear muffs can help minimize the damage. A pair of earplugs can, for example, allow you to go to that loud concert and still be capable of hearing the music but also provide some protection against irreversible hearing loss.
- Limit your exposure to loud noises: Sporting events, concerts, and jet engines belong to this category. But most people would also be surprised to learn that everyday noises like chatty workplaces, traffic, or lawnmowers can also result in hearing damage.
Protect your ears by understanding causes
Can noise-induced hearing loss be cured? Unfortunately not. This type of hearing loss and tinnitus cannot be cured, though it can be managed very effectively. Better understanding the causes of hearing loss and the mechanisms by which hearing loss functions can help hearing specialists (and you) develop better techniques and treatments designed to keep your hearing safe.
Although this research is encouraging, we still have a ways to go. But we appear to be getting closer to understanding. Your direct role is to get your hearing evaluated and use ear protection.