The underlying foundation of noise-related hearing loss might seem well-founded. After all, the name itself indicates a fairly direct cause-and-effect relationship. Our fundamental understanding is that irreversible hearing damage is caused by exposure to overly loud noise over a long period of time.
And while that’s relevant, the mechanisms underpinning that cause haven’t always been so well understood. That’s changing, thanks to emerging research into the role of zinc regulation after exposure to loud noises. This research suggests that there’s an important connection between zinc and hearing loss.
What is zinc? And how does it affect hearing impairment?
Zinc is a mineral required for carrying out necessary bodily functions and the majority of people have plenty of it. Zinc helps your brain translate 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 difficult to see the connection between hearing loss and zinc. After all, it isn’t immediately obvious what role zinc plays in your hearing. However, a novel experiment has shed some light on what’s happening.
Researchers did some analysis on mice that were exposed to loud sound. In mice, as with humans, the sensitive mechanisms of the ear become damaged when exposed to loud sound. For humans, sound will initially become temporarily muffled. As an individual is continually exposed to loud noise, this damage will become more serious and lasting. 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 fascinating results in terms of free-floating zinc were discovered.
Is hearing loss caused or helped by zinc?
Because of this research, scientists now better understand how noise-induced hearing loss symptoms occur. Usually, zinc in the body is molecularly bound. During the experiment, researchers noticed that zinc became free-floating after the ears were subjected to loud noises and sound-related stresses. It’s likely the same thing happens in humans.
The free-floating zinc triggers damage to sensitive parts of the inner ear that are crucial in order to hear clearly. Scientists are now thinking that this is one of the mechanisms that produces hearing damage related to noise exposure.
Treating hearing loss
Over time, this kind of understanding could help scientists prevent noise-related hearing loss from ever occurring, even in those people who are often subjected to loud noises. 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 safeguard yourself from noise-induced hearing loss?
There are several approaches you can employ to safeguard your ears:
- Use ear protection: Ear muffs and ear plugs can help your ears manage loud environments that you can’t, or don’t want to avoid. If you attend that concert, for instance, use a set of ear plugs to ensure you can still hear, but that your ears don’t become irreversibly damaged as a result.
- Limit your exposure to loud sounds: Sporting events, concerts, and jet engines belong to this category. But many people would also be surprised to learn that everyday sounds like chatty workplaces, traffic, or lawnmowers can also cause hearing damage.
- Regularly check in with your hearing specialist: Getting a hearing test (and routinely checking in with us) can help identify damage early.
Safeguard your ears by understanding causes
Can you reverse noise-induced hearing loss? Regrettably not. Though you can successfully treat this form of hearing loss and any related tinnitus, it has no cure. Strategies developed to keep your hearing safe will be more successful the better you understand the mechanisms behind hearing loss.
This research is probably just the first step in a longer process. But every bit helps. Your direct role is to get your hearing checked and use hearing protection.