The underlying foundation of noise-induced hearing loss might seem well-understood. After all, the name itself suggests a fairly straightforward cause-and-effect relationship. The common understanding is simply that loud sounds damage the hearing mechanisms in the ear, leading to long-term and permanent hearing loss.
And while that’s true, the mechanisms underpinning that cause have not always been so well understood. That’s improving, thanks to new research into the role of zinc regulation after exposure to loud sounds. Hearing loss and zinc management have a significant link according to this research.
How is hearing loss impacted by zinc?
Zinc is a mineral needed for executing necessary bodily functions and the majority of people have an abundance of it. Healthy amounts of zinc are associated with a well-functioning immune system and play a role in how well your brain translates chemical signals. With a few exceptions, most people get plenty of zinc from their daily food intake.
At first glance, it might be difficult to determine the connection between hearing loss and zinc. After all, it’s not immediately clear what role zinc plays in your hearing. However, a novel experiment has shed some light on what’s going on.
Researchers performed 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 noise. For humans, sound will initially become temporarily muffled. As an individual is regularly exposed to loud noise, this damage will become more extreme and lasting. This damage can’t be cured in either humans or mice.
After taking some blood samples from the mice, some intriguing results in terms of free-floating zinc were discovered.
Is hearing loss caused or helped by zinc?
Because of this research, scientists now have a better understanding of how noise-induced hearing loss symptoms happen. Typically, zinc in the body is molecularly bound. Researchers detected zinc in free-floating form after the experiment’s mice were exposed to loud noise. Zinc most likely behaves the same way in humans.
This zinc de-regulation ends up causing cellular damage to the inner ear, especially to the parts of the inner ear responsible for clear hearing. This is the mechanism that scientists now think results in the kind of damage that causes noise-related hearing loss.
How to treat hearing loss
In the future, this sort of understanding may help scientists stop noise-related hearing loss from ever occurring, even in those individuals who are often subjected 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 may be asking: how can I prevent noise-induced hearing loss?
There are a number of strategies you may utilize to protect your ears:
- Wear ear protection: If there are noisy settings you want to be in, or simply can’t stay away from, ear plugs and ear muffs can help minimize the damage. A pair of earplugs can, for instance, allow you to go to that loud concert and still be capable of hearing the music but also offer some protection against irreversible hearing loss.
- Routinely check in with your hearing specialist: Getting a hearing screening (and regularly checking in with us) can help identify damage early.
- Limit 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 may be surprising, and that includes things like a leaf blower, traffic, or individuals talking loudly in a busy office.
Understand the causes, protect your ears
Can you reverse noise-induced hearing loss? Sadly no. Even though you can effectively manage this type 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 functions can help hearing specialists (and you) formulate better techniques and treatments tailored to keep your hearing safe.
This research is probably just the first step in a longer undertaking. But we appear to be getting closer to understanding. Your immediate role is to get your hearing checked and use hearing protection.