Sunday September 7th, 2008
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Save Your Ears, Pop A Pill
Posted by Su Avasthi on July 1, 2007 - 7:19pm.
Ear plugs might soon be a useless artifact. But since I somehow managed to ignore all the advice to wear ear plugs to loud rock concerts, they've seemed useless to me all along.
Apparently, I'm just one of millions of Americans who didn't heed the warning. Worse, millions are also exposed to job-related noise, as leaf blowers, power tools, construction equipment, jet engines, car sirens, etc., and still fail to insert their ear plugs.
Which is why scientists are experimenting with several different medications to protect our ears from ear-damaging sounds.
There's an interesting article in the Los Angeles Times about experts who are investigating various "protective chemicals" which are thought to boost a natural antioxidant that protects our ears.
This antioxidant, called glutathione, is believed to protect our ear cells from hearing loss, which are stressed by loud noises. The article details how the ear cells work, how the chemicals may work, and the status of the experiments.
Protecting those ear cells -- which are comprised of hairs that detect sound waves -- is the key, because the cells begin to die when they're damaged by overly loud noise. As they die, we experience hearing loss, a ringing in the ears, and other aural limitations.
Clearly, if a pill proves to be safe and effective, it could be a great benefit to millions at risk for hearing loss. Right now, some 10 million people in this country suffer from noise-related hearing loss, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The drugs are still in development and there's no word on their effectiveness, side effects, etc. But maybe the day will come when someone can pop a pill before mowing the lawn or heading out to a rock concert.
Too bad this medication can't reverse whatever damage I've already done to my ears by attending all those very loud and very bad concerts back when I thought I was listening to very good music. I'm too embarrassed to mention the concerts I went to now, but let's just say that I've sung along to a lot of power ballads.
So, while I hope that a pill can one day protect the hearing of millions, I doubt it'll be that useful to me personally. I'm happy to say that I'll doubt I'll hear a live power ballad again. Now, if only they could invent a pill to improve our taste in music.
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Ah, there's nothing wrong with listening to some Guns N Roses, you're definitely not alone on that one. I'm sure everyone has that phase they went through. I'm still not over mine, I still go to concerts from time to time. Although I'm beginning to tone it down and recently I've been enjoying softer jazz particuarly that of Madeleine Peyroux.
Anyway, regarding loud working environments, I always felt that these type of jobs should require their employees to wear earplugs, it should be mandatory.
I do hope those pills are safe and become available to the public.
For the meantime I'll keep using my plugs whenever I can use them, lately I've been taking them a lot to the theater it's just too loud at times!
My understanding of glutathione is that it occurs naturally in our bodies and we actually synthesize it from other amino acids. Not sure why a pill of it would benefit us, but maybe. I for one would try it as I don't want to be less one of my senses when I am older.
I too worry about ambient noise as I work in a laboratory and have lab equipment on all of the time. It's always very noticeable when one piece of equipment is broken. My ears appreciate the quiet!