It might seem as if the causes of noise-related 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 irreversible hearing damage is caused by exposure to overly loud sound over a long period of time.
And while that’s accurate, the mechanisms behind that cause have not always been so well understood. But because of new research, we’re developing a deeper understanding of noise-induced hearing loss, and this includes the role of zinc intake after being exposed to loud sounds. This research indicates that there’s an important connection between zinc and hearing loss.
How is hearing impairment impacted by zinc?
Zinc is a common mineral. The majority of individuals have plenty of zinc in their bodies, carrying out distinct and necessary functions. Zinc helps your brain interpret chemical signals and is connected to immune system functions. With a few exceptions, the vast majority of individuals receive enough zinc from their food every day.
At first, it may be difficult to determine the connection between hearing loss and zinc. After all, it’s not instantly clear what role zinc plays in your hearing. However, a novel experiment has shed some light on what’s going on.
Researchers exposed mice to loud noises and carried out a few analyses afterward. When exposed to loud sounds, the same thing happens to mice as happens to humans: the delicate parts of the ear become damaged. For humans, sound will initially become impermanently muffled. As a person is continually exposed to loud noise, this damage will become more serious and lasting. In both mice and humans, the body is not capable of healing or repairing this damage.
Researchers also took blood samples from the mice and observed some interesting results in terms of free-floating zinc.
Does zinc help or cause hearing loss?
Scientists now have a better understanding of how the symptoms of noise-induced hearing loss occur because of these results. 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. It’s likely the same thing occurs in humans.
The free-floating zinc triggers damage to delicate portions 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.
How to treat hearing loss
In the future, this sort of understanding could help scientists stop noise-induced hearing loss from ever happening, even in those individuals who are often exposed to loud noises. Unfortunately, these developments are likely still some ways off. But that doesn’t mean your ears are defenseless.
So, how can you safeguard yourself from noise-related hearing loss?
Here are a few measures you can take to safeguard your hearing:
- Regulate your exposure to loud sounds: Sporting events, concerts, and jet engines come under 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 people speaking loudly in a bustling office.
- Consistently check in with your hearing specialist: Discovering damage as early as possible can help reduce long-term damage, and coming in to see us for a routine hearing test is the best way to do that.
- Wear hearing protection: If there are loud environments you want to be in, or merely 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 attend that loud concert and still be able to hear the music but also provide some protection against permanent hearing loss.
Protect your ears by understanding causes
Can you reverse noise-related hearing loss? Regrettably not. Even though you can successfully treat this form of hearing loss and any associated tinnitus, it has no cure. Better understanding the causes of hearing loss and the mechanisms by which hearing loss functions can help hearing specialists (and you) develop better techniques and treatments tailored to keep your hearing safe.
This research is likely just the first step in a longer undertaking. But every bit helps. Your direct role is to get your hearing checked and use hearing protection.