The underlying basis of noise-induced hearing loss might seem well-understood. After all, the name itself conveys a fairly direct 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.
And while that’s accurate, the mechanisms underpinning that cause haven’t always been so well understood. That’s improving, thanks to new research into the role of zinc management after exposure to loud noises. Hearing loss and zinc management have an important link according to this research.
What is zinc? And how does it affect hearing loss?
Zinc is a mineral needed for executing necessary bodily functions and the majority of individuals have plenty of it. Zinc helps your brain translate chemical signals and is linked to immune system functions. With a few exceptions, the vast majority of people get enough zinc from their daily food intake.
At first, it might be challenging to see the relationship between hearing loss and zinc. After all, it’s not immediately obvious what role zinc plays in your hearing. However, a unique experiment has shed some light on what’s going on.
Researchers exposed mice to loud noises and performed a few analyses afterward. In mice, as with humans, the sensitive mechanisms of the ear become damaged when exposed to loud noise. In humans, this might first be encountered as a temporary muffling of sound. This will become more acute and more permanent as persistent noise exposure continues. In both mice and humans, the body isn’t able to heal or repair this damage.
After taking some blood samples from the mice, some intriguing results in terms of free-floating zinc were revealed.
Does zinc help or cause hearing loss?
Because of this research, scientists now better understand how noise-related hearing loss symptoms occur. Typically, zinc in the body is molecularly bound. During the experiment, researchers observed that zinc became free-floating after the ears were exposed to loud noises and sound-induced stresses. Zinc most likely behaves the same way in humans.
This zinc de-regulation ends up causing cellular damage to the inner ear, specifically to the parts of the inner ear in control of clear hearing. This is the mechanism that scientists now think leads to the kind of damage that causes noise-induced hearing loss.
How to treat hearing loss
In the future, this kind of understanding could help scientists prevent noise-related hearing loss from ever occurring, even in those individuals 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, you might be asking: how can I prevent noise-related hearing loss?
There are several approaches you can utilize to safeguard your ears:
- Consistently 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 people talking loudly in a bustling office.
- Wear hearing protection: Ear muffs and ear plugs can help your ears deal 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 irreversibly damaged as a result.
Protect your ears by understanding causes
Can you cure noise-related hearing loss? Unfortunately not. Even though you can successfully manage this form of hearing loss and any related tinnitus, it can’t be cured. Strategies developed to keep your hearing safe will be more successful the better you understand the mechanisms behind hearing loss.
This research is likely just the first step in a longer undertaking. But every bit helps. On a personal level, it’s essential to take measures to safeguard your hearing and check in with your hearing specialist.
