Thanks to the work of scientists over a number of years there is evidence from lab animal results that a pill may be able to reduce the effects of loud noise to our hearing. Human trials of the pill have now begun. A patient who takes the substance after it has been dissolved in a drink will hopefully achieve better hearing test results.

 

This is the latest developments in the on going search for a pill that could even treat hearing loss caused by loud noise. The significant progress made in recent years has led to an increase in the amount of effort towards reaching the ultimate goal.

 

The pill however, is not a replacement for earplugs and other forms of ear protection. The pill is intended to be extra protection and work alongside existing ear protection to tackle the problem of hearing loss which is still wide spread with the protection that is currently available.

 

Federal reports show that occupational hearing loss is the second most reported occupational illness or injury. 10 million Americans are said to be living with permanent hearing loss due to long term exposure to loud noise or a sudden burst from things such as explosions.

 

High levels of noise in occupations in the mining, construction, manufacturing and agriculture industries means that 30 million Americans risk damage to their hearing from their occupations. Musicians must also be extremely careful not to damage their hearing.

 

Hearing damage is not only caused at work. Going to the shooting range or race track are just some of the hobbies that can also pose a threat to a person's hearing. There needs to be more protection than what is available through the sound canceling headphones and earplug that are currently used.

 

On some occasions sounds can actually overwhelm the current protection. Unfortunately, not everyone at risk wears the equipment all the time and some may be at a greater risk to hearing loss than others. Sound can also penetrate the skull and cause damage to the ears that way, even if the protection is being worn.

 

In the past, scientists have approached the creation of a hearing protecting pill in a few different ways. Research from 1994 showed that in Israel military recruits managed to avoid hearing damage during their military training due to magnesium supplements in their diet. A lot of research nowadays is focused on antioxidants a type of chemical that is commonly known to be found in vitamins C and E.

 

The reason for this is that the force of loud sound is not always directly responsible for the damage to the hearing. Damage can be caused by free radicals that the inner ear produces after having been exposed to high volumes.

 

Free radicals can be neutralized by antioxidants naturally present in the ear. During periods of loud noise the free radicals outnumber the antioxidants. The free radicals can kill the ear's hair like receptor cells that convert sound waves into electrical nerve messages. Once these receptor cells are dead, the hearing in damaged permanently.

 

Damage that has just occurred could be treated by increasing the antioxidants used in the ear's natural defense mechanism, or it could be part of a preventative measure. The animal testing has shown promising results in preventing hearing loss. As to how effective the use of antioxidants will be for humans is still treated with caution by experts. To determine the effectiveness of the antioxidants on humans, more animal tests are needed with varying sound levels and doses.

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