It may seem as though the roots of noise-related hearing loss are functionally well-established. A fairly obvious 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 noise 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. But because of new research, we’re developing a greater understanding of noise-induced hearing loss, including the role of zinc intake after being exposed to loud noises. Hearing loss and zinc management have an important connection according to this research.
How is hearing impairment affected by zinc?
Zinc is a common mineral. The majority of people have plenty of zinc in their bodies, carrying out specific and necessary functions. Zinc helps your brain translate chemical signals and is connected to immune system functions. In most cases, a person’s diet supplies enough zinc.
At first glance, it might 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 happening.
Researchers exposed mice to loud noises and carried out a few analyses afterward. When exposed to loud noises, the same thing happens to mice as happens to humans: the delicate parts of the ear are damaged. For humans, sound will initially become temporarily muffled. As an individual is continually exposed to loud sound, this damage will become more extreme and lasting. This damage can’t be cured in either humans or mice.
Researchers also took blood samples from the mice and noticed some interesting results in terms of free-floating zinc.
Is hearing loss caused or helped by zinc?
Because of this research, scientists now have a better understanding of how noise-related hearing loss symptoms occur. Usually, when zinc is in the body, it’s bound molecularly. Researchers discovered 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 winds up causing cellular damage to the inner ear, specifically to the parts of the inner ear in control of clear hearing. Scientists are now thinking that this is one of the mechanisms that produces hearing damage due to noise exposure.
How to treat hearing loss
As scientists reach a greater understanding of this, they may be able to develop novel methods to prevent hearing loss in individuals who are regularly exposed to loud noise. However, it may be some time before those advancements become a viable reality. But that doesn’t mean your ears are defenseless.
So, you may be asking: how can I prevent noise-related hearing loss?
There are a number of approaches you can employ to protect your ears:
- Use ear protection: Ear muffs and ear plugs can help your ears deal with loud environments that you can’t, or don’t want to stay away from. A pair of earplugs can, for example, allow you to attend that loud concert and still be able to hear the music but also provide some protection against permanent hearing loss.
- Routinely check in with your hearing specialist: Undergoing a hearing test (and routinely checking in with us) can help identify damage early.
- Limit your exposure to loud noises: This obviously includes noises like 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 individuals talking loudly in a bustling office.
Understand the causes, protect your ears
Can you cure noise-induced hearing loss? Unfortunately not. Although you can successfully treat this form of hearing loss and any related tinnitus, it has no cure. Better understanding the causes of hearing loss and the mechanisms by which hearing loss works can help hearing specialists (and you) formulate better techniques and treatments designed to keep your hearing safe.
Although this research is promising, we still have a ways to go. But we appear to be getting closer to understanding. Your direct role is to get your hearing checked and use ear protection.