It may seem as though the roots of noise-related hearing loss are functionally well-established. After all, the name itself suggests a fairly straightforward cause-and-effect relationship. The universal understanding is simply that loud sounds damage the hearing mechanisms in the ear, causing long-term and irreversible hearing loss.
And while that’s accurate, the mechanisms behind that cause haven’t always been so well established. But because of recent research, we’re gaining a greater understanding of noise-induced hearing loss, and this includes the role of zinc intake after being exposed to loud noises. Hearing loss and zinc management have an important link according to this research.
What is zinc? And how does it impact hearing loss?
Zinc is a common mineral. The majority of individuals have an abundance of zinc in their bodies, carrying out specific and necessary functions. Healthy amounts of zinc are connected with a well-functioning immune system and play a role in how well your brain translates chemical signals. In most instances, a person’s diet supplies plenty of zinc.
The connection between zinc and hearing loss might, 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 begun to reveal what’s going on, however.
Researchers did some analysis on mice that were exposed to loud sound. In mice, as with humans, the fragile mechanisms of the ear become damaged when exposed to loud noise. For humans, sound will initially become temporarily muffled. This will become more acute and more permanent as chronic noise exposure continues. This damage can’t be cured in either humans or mice.
Researchers also took blood samples from the mice and observed some fascinating results in terms of free-floating zinc.
Does zinc help or cause hearing loss?
Scientists now have a greater picture of how the symptoms of noise-related hearing loss happen because of these results. Normally, when zinc is in the body, it’s bound molecularly. Researchers detected zinc in free-floating form when the experiment’s mice were exposed to loud noise. Zinc most likely responds the same way in humans.
The free-floating zinc triggers damage to sensitive parts of the inner ear that are crucial in order to hear clearly. 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
As scientists reach a deeper understanding of this, they may be able to develop novel approaches to prevent hearing loss in individuals who are frequently exposed to loud noise. However, it may be some time before those developments become a viable reality. But there are still other ways to safeguard your ears.
So, how can you safeguard yourself from noise-induced hearing loss?
Here are a few steps you can take to protect your hearing:
- Wear hearing protection: If there are noisy environments you want to be in, or simply can’t avoid, ear plugs and ear muffs can help lessen the damage. If you go to that concert, for instance, wear a pair of ear plugs to ensure you can still hear, but that your ears don’t become permanently damaged as a consequence.
- Limit your exposure to loud sounds: This obviously includes noises such as jet engines, concerts, or sporting events. But there are some more commonplace noises that can cause hearing loss that might be surprising, including things like a leaf blower, traffic, or people talking loudly in a busy office.
- Routinely check in with your hearing specialist: Discovering damage as early as possible can help minimize long-term damage, and coming in to see us for a regular hearing test is the best way to do that.
Understand the causes, protect your ears
Can you reverse noise-induced hearing loss? Sadly no. This kind of hearing loss and tinnitus can’t be cured, though it can be managed quite successfully. Better understanding the causes of hearing loss and the mechanisms by which hearing loss functions can help hearing specialists (and you) formulate better strategies and treatments tailored to keep your hearing safe.
Although this research is encouraging, we still have a ways to go. But every bit helps. On an individual level, it’s important to take measures to safeguard your hearing and check in with your hearing specialist.