Hearing loss: Some people have experienced hearing loss after attending a loud concert, while others have heard sounds that weren’t actually there. These hearing problems and annoying noises affect the lives of these adults. Thus, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh in the United States chose to study hearing in more detail.
Hearing loss: Damage to ear cells from excess zinc
In newspaper studies Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers have studied how hearing loss and tinnitus occur. Their goal was to help create new treatments that worked well and didn’t require surgery. To do this, they conducted experiments on mice and ear cells.
Studies have shown that when mice are exposed to loud noise, zinc levels in their ears increase significantly. Loud noise causes cells and minerals important for hearing to be released in and around the cells. This damaged the cells and disrupted normal communication between them.
Medicines that get more zinc help to restore hearing
The authors of this study found that drugs, which act like sponges to absorb excess zinc, can play a crucial role in restoring lost hearing. These drugs, when taken before exposure to loud noises, also have the potential to prevent hearing loss. This is a significant advance in the field of hearing research.
Following these encouraging results, a team of researchers, whose work is available online at medicalxpress.com, is currently working on developing a specific treatment. The treatment will then undergo rigorous safety tests, in the hope that it can be approved and made available to prevent hearing loss in people exposed to high noise levels.
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