It may seem as though the roots of noise-induced hearing loss are functionally well-understood. A fairly clear-cut cause-and-effect relationship is suggested by the name, after all. Our fundamental understanding is that permanent hearing damage is caused by exposure to overly loud sound over a long period of time.
Though we’ve recognized this for some time now, we haven’t entirely understood the underlying mechanisms behind it. That’s changing, thanks to new research into the role of zinc management after exposure to loud noises. This research indicates that there’s an important connection between zinc and hearing loss.
How is hearing loss affected by zinc?
Zinc is a commonplace mineral. The majority of individuals have an abundance of zinc in their bodies, carrying out distinct and necessary functions. Healthy levels of zinc are connected with a well-functioning immune system and play a part in how well your brain interprets chemical signals. In most instances, a person’s diet provides plenty of zinc.
The link between zinc and hearing loss may, at first sight, be difficult to identify. The link between zinc and hearing isn’t, after all, immediately obvious. However, a unique experiment has shed some light on what’s happening.
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 sound. In humans, this might first be encountered as a temporary muffling of sound. As an individual is regularly exposed to loud sound, this damage will become more extreme 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 intriguing results in terms of free-floating zinc were revealed.
Does zinc help or cause hearing loss?
Because of this result, scientists now better understand how noise-induced hearing loss symptoms occur. Normally, when zinc is in the body, it’s bound molecularly. 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 doing cellular damage to the inner ear, especially to the parts of the inner ear responsible for clear hearing. Scientists are now thinking that this is one of the mechanisms that causes hearing damage related to noise exposure.
Treating hearing loss
In the future, this sort of understanding may help scientists stop noise-induced hearing loss from ever happening, 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 there are still other ways to safeguard your ears.
So, how can you protect yourself from noise-induced hearing loss?
Here are a few steps you can take to safeguard your hearing:
- Consistently check in with your hearing specialist: Undergoing a hearing test (and routinely checking in with us) can help identify damage early.
- Use hearing protection: Ear muffs and ear plugs can help your ears deal with noisy settings 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 permanent hearing loss.
- Limit your exposure to loud sounds: This clearly includes noises such as jet engines, concerts, or sporting events. But many people would also be surprised to discover that everyday sounds like chatty workplaces, traffic, or lawnmowers can also lead to hearing damage.
Protect your ears by understanding causes
Can you cure noise-related hearing loss? Unfortunately not. Although you can successfully treat this type of hearing loss and any associated 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 most likely just the first step in a longer undertaking. But every bit helps. Your immediate role is to get your hearing tested and use ear protection.