The underlying basis of noise-induced hearing loss might seem well-understood. A fairly obvious cause-and-effect connection is indicated by the name, after all. Our fundamental understanding is that irreversible hearing damage is caused by exposure to overly loud sound over a long period of time.
And while that’s accurate, the mechanisms underpinning that cause have not always been so well established. That’s improving, thanks to new research into the role of zinc management after exposure to loud noises. This research reveals that there’s an important link between zinc and hearing loss.
What is zinc? And how does it affect hearing impairment?
Zinc is a mineral required for executing necessary bodily functions and the majority of individuals have an abundance of it. Healthy amounts of zinc are connected with a well-functioning immune system and play a role in how well your brain translates chemical signals. With a few exceptions, most individuals receive plenty of zinc from their daily food intake.
The connection between zinc and hearing loss might, at first glance, be difficult to identify. After all, it’s not instantly obvious what role zinc plays in your hearing. A new experiment has started to expose what’s going on, however.
Researchers exposed mice to loud sounds and conducted a few analyses afterward. When exposed to loud sounds, the same thing happens to mice as happens to humans: the fragile parts of the ear become 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 is not capable of healing or repairing this damage.
After taking some blood samples from the mice, some intriguing results in terms of free-floating zinc were revealed.
Is hearing loss caused or helped by zinc?
Scientists now have a better picture of how the symptoms of noise-induced hearing loss happen because of this research. Usually, when zinc is in the body, it’s bound molecularly. During the experiment, researchers observed that zinc became free-floating when the ears were subjected to loud noises and sound-induced stresses. Zinc most likely behaves the same way in humans.
The free-floating zinc causes damage to fragile parts of the inner ear that are essential in order to hear clearly. This is the mechanism that scientists now believe leads to the type of damage that causes noise-induced hearing loss.
How to manage hearing loss
In the future, this kind of understanding could help scientists stop noise-induced hearing loss from ever happening, even in those people who are often exposed to loud noises. However, it may be some time before those advancements become a viable reality. But that doesn’t mean your ears can’t be protected.
So, how can you safeguard yourself from noise-related hearing loss?
Here are several measures you can take to safeguard your hearing:
- Regularly check in with your hearing specialist: Detecting damage as early as possible can help minimize long-term damage, and coming in to see us for a regular hearing test is the best way to do that.
- Wear ear protection: Ear muffs and ear plugs can help your ears deal with noisy environments that you can’t, or don’t want to stay away from. A set of earplugs can, for instance, allow you to attend that loud concert and still be able to hear the music but also offer some protection against irreversible hearing loss.
- Limit your exposure to loud sounds: This clearly includes noises like jet engines, concerts, or sporting events. 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 busy office.
Understand the causes, protect your ears
Can noise-induced hearing loss be reversed? Sadly no. Though you can successfully manage this form of hearing loss and any associated tinnitus, it can’t be cured. Better understanding the causes of hearing loss and the mechanisms by which hearing loss works can help hearing specialists (and you) formulate better techniques and treatments tailored to keep your hearing safe.
Even though this research is promising, we still have a ways to go. But we seem to be getting closer to understanding. Your direct role is to get your hearing tested and use hearing protection.