Noise-related hearing problems affect 170,000 people in the UK, while many more people, around 1.1 million, are thought to be at risk of developing them. Tinnitus and industrial deafness, also known as noise-induced hearing loss, are the most common conditions that people suffer as a result of a very noisy workplace.

Too much noise can cause workers to experience a range of problems with their ears. There is a continuum of industrial deafness, from minor hearing problems to complete hearing loss.

There are four main types of noise-related hearing difficulty:

• Temporary hearing loss
• Permanent hearing loss
• Acoustic trauma
• Tinnitus

Temporary loss
Any exposure to loud sounds is one of the most common causes of temporary hearing loss. It is also known as noise-induced hearing loss. Due to constant exposure to the loud sounds, the sensitive structures in the inner ear get damaged, which results in hearing loss.

This type of hearing loss is accompanied by tinnitus, ringing of the ears. If the exposure is continuous and if left untreated, the hearing loss may be untreatable and permanent. If you are exposed to loud environment and you are not able to hear loud speech around 3 feet away, then you can assume that your ears are exposed to dangerous noise levels.

Permanent loss
Some of the common causes of permanent hearing loss are:

• Exposure to extremely loud noise (more than 90 decibels), also referred to as noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL)
• Injury to the ear or head
• Trauma that includes puncture of the eardrum with the use of foreign objects and temporal bone fracture
• Meniere's disease, which affects the inner ear

Acoustic trauma
Acoustic trauma can occur as a result of a very loud noise or several very loud noises occurring for a short period of time. Someone with acoustic trauma may have developed the condition after hearing an explosion in a work accident or gunfire at close range and without ear protection.

What research is being done?
Scientists focusing their research on the mechanisms causing NIHL hope to understand more fully the internal workings of the ear, which will result in better prevention and treatment strategies.

For example, scientists have discovered that damage to the structure of the hair bundle of the hair cell is related to temporary and permanent loss of hearing. They have found that when the hair bundle is exposed to prolonged periods of damaging sound, the basic structure of the hair bundle is destroyed and the important connections among hair cells are disrupted which directly lead to hearing loss.

Other studies are investigating potential drug therapies that may provide insight into the mechanisms of NIHL. For example, scientists studying altered blood flow in the cochlea are seeking the effect on the hair cells. They have shown reduced cochlear blood flow following exposure to noise.

Further research has shown that a drug that promotes blood flow used for treatment of peripheral vascular disease (any abnormal condition in blood vessels outside the heart), maintains circulation in the cochlea during exposure to noise. These findings may lead to the development of treatment strategies to reduce NIHL.

Is there treatment?
In most cases, there is no specific treatment for ear and head noise. If your otolaryngologist finds a specific cause of your tinnitus, he or she may be able to eliminate the noise. But, this determination may require extensive testing including X-rays, balance tests, and laboratory work.

However, most causes cannot be identified. Occasionally, medicine may help the noise. The medications used are varied, and several may be tried to see if they help. The following list of DO’s and DON’T’s can help lessen the severity of tinnitus:

• Avoid exposure to loud sounds and noises.
• Get your blood pressure checked. If it is high, get your doctor's help to control it.
• Decrease your intake of salt. Salt impairs blood circulation.
• Avoid stimulants such as coffee, tea, cola, and tobacco.
• Exercise daily to improve your circulation.
• Get adequate rest and avoid fatigue.
• Stop worrying about the noise. Recognize your head noise as an annoyance and learn to ignore it as much as possible.

Hearing Aids
If you have hearing loss, a hearing aid(s) may reduce head noise while you are wearing it and sometimes cause it to go away temporarily. It is important not to set the hearing aid at excessively loud levels, as this can worsen the tinnitus in some cases. However, a thorough trial before purchase of a hearing aid is advisable if your primary purpose is the relief of tinnitus.

Tinnitus maskers can be combined within hearing aids. They emit a competitive but pleasant sound that can distract you from head noise. Some people find that a tinnitus masker may even suppress the head noise for several hours after it is used, but this is not true for all users.