It might seem as though the causes of noise-related hearing loss are functionally well-recognized. A fairly clear-cut cause-and-effect connection is indicated by the name, after all. Our basic understanding is that permanent hearing damage is caused by exposure to overly loud sound over a long period of time.
And while that’s relevant, the mechanisms underpinning that cause haven’t always been so well established. That’s changing, thanks to new research into the role of zinc management after exposure to loud sounds. This research indicates that there’s an important connection between zinc and hearing loss.
What is zinc? And how does it affect hearing impairment?
Zinc is a common mineral. Most people have plenty of zinc in their bodies, performing specific and necessary functions. Healthy levels of zinc are linked to a well-functioning immune system and play a part in how well your brain interprets chemical signals. In most instances, a person’s diet supplies enough zinc.
The connection between zinc and hearing loss may, at first sight, be difficult to recognize. After all, it isn’t instantly clear what role zinc plays in your hearing. A new experiment has started to reveal what’s going on, however.
Researchers exposed mice to loud noises 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 are damaged. For humans, sound will initially become temporarily muffled. This will become more acute 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 discovered.
Does zinc help or cause hearing loss?
Scientists now have a greater picture of how the symptoms of noise-induced hearing loss happen 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-induced stresses. Zinc most likely reacts the same way in humans.
This zinc de-regulation ends up causing cellular damage to the inner ear, particularly to the parts of the inner ear responsible for clear hearing. Scientists are now thinking that this is one of the mechanisms that produces hearing damage related to noise exposure.
Managing hearing loss
In the future, this kind of understanding might help scientists stop noise-induced hearing loss from ever occurring, even in those individuals who are frequently subjected to loud noises. However, it might be some time before those developments become a viable reality. But there are still other ways to protect your ears.
So, how can you safeguard yourself from noise-related hearing loss?
Here are several measures you can take to protect your hearing:
- Use hearing protection: Ear muffs and ear plugs can help your ears cope with noisy settings that you can’t, or don’t want to avoid. A pair of earplugs can, for example, allow you to attend that loud concert and still be capable of hearing the music but also offer some protection against permanent hearing loss.
- Routinely check in with your hearing specialist: Getting a hearing screening (and regularly checking in with us) can help detect damage early.
- Limit your exposure to loud sounds: This clearly includes noises such as jet engines, concerts, or sporting events. But there are some more commonplace noises that can cause hearing loss that may be surprising, and that includes things like a leaf blower, traffic, or people talking loudly in a busy office.
Understand the causes, protect your ears
Can you cure noise-induced hearing loss? Sadly no. This form of hearing loss and tinnitus can’t be cured, though it can be managed very successfully. Strategies created to keep your hearing safe will be more successful the better you understand the mechanisms behind hearing loss.
Although 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 tested and use hearing protection.