The underlying basis of noise-induced hearing loss may seem well-founded. A fairly obvious cause-and-effect relationship is suggested by the name, after all. The universal understanding is simply that loud sounds damage the hearing mechanisms in the ear, leading to long-term and irreversible hearing loss.
Though we’ve recognized this for some time now, we haven’t completely understood the underlying mechanisms behind it. But because of recent research, we’re developing a deeper understanding of noise-induced hearing loss, including the role of zinc intake after being exposed to loud sounds. This research indicates that there’s an important link between zinc and hearing loss.
What is zinc? And how does it affect hearing loss?
Zinc is a mineral required for carrying out necessary bodily functions and the majority of people have an abundance of it. Zinc helps your brain interpret chemical signals and is linked to immune system functions. In most cases, a person’s diet supplies plenty of zinc.
At first, it may be challenging to determine the relationship between hearing loss and zinc. After all, it’s not instantly obvious what role zinc plays in your hearing. However, a novel experiment has shed some light on what’s going on.
Researchers exposed mice to loud sounds and conducted a few analyses afterward. When exposed to loud noises, the same thing happens to mice as happens to humans: the sensitive parts of the ear are damaged. For humans, sound will initially become temporarily muffled. This will become more serious and more permanent as chronic noise exposure continues. In both mice and humans, the body isn’t capable of healing or repairing this damage.
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?
Scientists now have a greater picture of how the symptoms of noise-induced 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 subjected to loud noises and sound-related stresses. Zinc most likely responds the same way in humans.
The free-floating zinc triggers damage to sensitive portions of the inner ear that are essential in order to hear clearly. Scientists are now thinking that this is one of the mechanisms that causes hearing damage related to noise exposure.
How to treat hearing loss
As scientists reach a better understanding of this, they may be able to develop novel methods to prevent hearing loss in people who are regularly subjected to loud noise. However, it might be some time before those developments become a viable reality. But that doesn’t mean your ears are defenseless.
So, how can you safeguard yourself from noise-related hearing loss?
Here are several steps you can take to safeguard your hearing:
- Regulate your exposure to loud noises: This obviously includes noises like jet engines, concerts, or sporting events. But many individuals would also be surprised to learn that everyday sounds like chatty offices, traffic, or leaf blowers can also result in hearing damage.
- Consistently check in with your hearing specialist: Discovering damage as early as possible can help reduce long-term damage, and coming in to see us for a routine hearing test is the best way to do that.
- Use ear protection: Ear muffs and ear plugs can help your ears cope with loud settings that you can’t, or don’t want to stay away from. If you attend that concert, for example, use a set of ear plugs to ensure you can still hear, but that your ears don’t become permanently damaged as a result.
Protect your ears by understanding causes
Can you cure noise-related hearing loss? Sadly no. This kind of hearing loss and tinnitus cannot be cured, though it can be managed very effectively. Strategies developed to keep your hearing safe will be more effective the better you understand the mechanisms behind hearing loss.
Even though 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 checked and use hearing protection.