[h4n9m4n]

I was just wondering, do ears heal themselves from minor damages? When I was younger it was cool to play your music loud but now I just find it annoying. I'm scared i might have damaged by eardrums from playing loud music and am afraid that i'm not getting the most that i can get from high quality music and equipment. Can ears heal (at all), or can hearing only change negatively?

 

[Luminette]

I also have these concerns.. blasting music in my ear through cans.. a little bit of time spent with poor IEMs.. going to raves / metal shows... i have the same worries as you in egards to how much am i hearing? i have minor instances of tinnitus.. it's quite unnerving and truly depresses me- being as in-love with sound and the experience of music and such as I am

anyone know about this? not tinnitus solutions / masking.. that's been covered pretty thoroughly on head-fi... but recovery of what's lost with ear damage

 

[zhix78]

if i remember correctly, those hairs in the ears that send the sound virbrations to your brains do not regenerate once they are dead.

 

[DocHamm]

Hearing loss has various causes. To best determine if you have any, and the cause, it's best to see a specialist. However, our ears are exposed daily to various levels of noise, some of which can be damaging, but usually return to normal after a good night's rest. Anyone showing signs of loss/tinnitus lasting longer needs to see a doctor. I have read approximately 1 in 6 people suffer tinnitus in the US, so certainly something to remember and instill caution.

 

[h4n9m4n]

1 in 6 people suffer tinnitus in the US... how about on head-fi? probably like 5 in 6...

 

[Zorander]

Depending on how much "damage" the ears have taken, they usually heal well over time and provided you do not expose them to further loud volumes (whether through music listening or even through your everyday surroundings -depending where you are-). It may be a good idea too to go for hearing tests and, once you get the results, ask how you compare to others of the same age group.

Cheers!

 

[stevenkelby]

Depends what was damaged. You're only born with so many "little ear hairs" Loud noises knock them off and they are gone for good, won't grow back. Cannot be repaired and can't heal.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Short-term damage heals. Damage caused by prolonged exposure does not. Once the cilia in the inner ear have bent, there's no recovering them. They'll then begin to move randomly and won't be able to hold an electrical charge; at this point, they are essentially leaking electrical impulses to the brain, which is the cause of tinnitus.

Take measures to prevent further damage like wearing earplugs to loud events and listening at moderate volumes--it sounds like you're already at this step. In the long-term, you may find that your ear's frequency response and sensitivity make small perceptible improvements. It's definitely possible to hear past tinnitus.