How does loud noise damage the ear

NIHL is the only type of hearing loss that is completely preventable. If you understand the hazards of noise and how to practice good hearing health, you can protect your hearing for life. NIDCD-supported researchers have helped to identify some of the many genes important for hair-cell development and function and are using this knowledge to explore new treatments for hearing loss. Researchers are also looking at the protective properties of supporting cells in the inner ear, which appear to be capable of lessening the damage to sensory hair cells upon exposure to noise.

Armed with this information, parents, teachers, school nurses, and other adults can encourage children to adopt healthy hearing habits. The NIDCD maintains a directory of organizations that provide information on the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language. Use the following keywords to help you find organizations that can answer questions and provide information on NIHL:. Breadcrumb Home Health Information.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. On this page: What is noise-induced hearing loss? Who is affected by NIHL? What causes NIHL? How can noise damage our hearing?

What are the effects and signs of NIHL? Can NIHL be prevented? What research is being done on NIHL? What is noise-induced hearing loss? Here are the average decibel ratings of some familiar sounds: Normal conversation dBA Movie theater dBA Motorcyles and dirt bikes dBA Music through headphones at maximum volume, sporting events, and concerts dBA Sirens dBA Fireworks show dBA Your distance from the source of the sound and the length of time you are exposed to the sound are also important factors in protecting your hearing.

The inner ear contains the cochlea, which is a snail shell-shaped structure filled with fluid. As vibrations travel through the fluid, they move tiny hair cells called stereocilia. The stereocilia are receptors that convert vibrations into electrical signals that the brain can understand. The electrical sound signals travel via the auditory nerve to the brain, where they are interpreted as meaningful sound like speech, music or warning signals. The average person is born with about 16, hair cells in their cochlea.

Shaped like a snail, the cochlea is lined with tiny hair cells and filled with fluid. The average person is born with about 16, of these hair cells. Unlike other hair on your body, once damaged these cells cannot be repaired or regrown. When the sound vibration reaches the inner ear, it causes the liquid in the cochlea to move, bending the tiny hair cells. As they bend, the hair cells create electrical signals.

The auditory nerve then carries the electric signal from the inner ear to the brain, where it is interpreted as sound. Loud noises, such as one extremely loud sound or continuous loud sounds over a long period of time, can damage the cells and membranes of the inner ear.

Over time, loud noises overwork the hair cells within the cochlea, causing them to die. After leaving a concert, temporary hearing loss is common. This includes:. Your hearing will return to normal after a few hours or days.