The underlying foundation of noise-related hearing loss might seem well-understood. After all, the name itself suggests a fairly straightforward cause-and-effect relationship. The common understanding is simply that loud sounds damage the hearing mechanisms in the ear, resulting in long-term and permanent hearing loss.
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 management after exposure to loud sounds. Hearing loss and zinc management have a significant link according to this research.
What is zinc? And how does it impact hearing impairment?
Zinc is a mineral needed for carrying out necessary bodily functions and most individuals have an abundance of it. Zinc helps your brain translate chemical signals and is connected to immune system functions. With a few exceptions, most individuals receive enough zinc from their daily food intake.
At first glance, it might be difficult to see the relationship between hearing loss and zinc. After all, it’s not immediately clear what role zinc plays in your hearing. A new experiment has started to expose what’s going on, however.
Researchers performed some analysis on mice that were exposed to loud sound. When exposed to loud noises, the same thing happens to mice as happens to humans: the fragile parts of the ear are damaged. In humans, this might first be experienced as a temporary muffling of sound. As an individual is regularly exposed to loud noise, this damage will become more severe and lasting. This damage can’t be cured in either humans or mice.
Researchers also took blood samples from the mice and observed some interesting results in terms of free-floating zinc.
Is hearing loss caused or helped by zinc?
Because of this result, scientists now better understand how noise-related hearing loss symptoms happen. Usually, zinc in the body is molecularly bound. Researchers detected zinc in free-floating form when the experiment’s mice were exposed to loud noise. It’s likely the same thing occurs in humans.
The free-floating zinc causes damage to delicate parts of the inner ear that are essential in order to hear clearly. This is the mechanism that scientists now think results in the type of damage that causes noise-induced hearing loss.
Managing hearing loss
As scientists gain a greater understanding of this, they might be able to formulate novel approaches to prevent hearing loss in people who are frequently subjected to loud noise. However, it might be some time before those advancements become a viable reality. But that doesn’t mean your ears are defenseless.
So, how can you protect yourself from noise-induced hearing loss?
Here are a few steps you can take to safeguard your hearing:
- Regularly check in with your hearing specialist: Discovering damage as early as possible can help decrease long-term damage, and coming in to see us for a regular hearing test is the best way to do that.
- Regulate your exposure to loud noises: Sporting events, concerts, and jet engines belong to this category. But there are some more commonplace noises that can cause hearing loss that might be surprising, including things like a leaf blower, traffic, or individuals talking loudly in a bustling office.
- Use hearing protection: Ear muffs and ear plugs can help your ears cope with loud environments that you can’t, or don’t want to avoid. A set of earplugs can, for example, allow you to attend that loud concert and still be able to hear the music but also provide some protection against permanent hearing loss.
Understand the causes, protect your ears
Can noise-induced hearing loss be cured? Sadly no. This form of hearing loss and tinnitus can’t be cured, though it can be managed quite effectively. Better understanding the causes of hearing loss and the mechanisms by which hearing loss functions can help hearing specialists (and you) develop better strategies and treatments tailored to keep your hearing safe.
This research is probably just the first step in a longer undertaking. But we appear to be getting closer to understanding. Your direct role is to get your hearing checked and use hearing protection.