@thebraintumorsurgeon: How ear plugs can save your brain: Ringing and muffled hearing after a concert is not just annoying, and it's not temporary: it's a sign of nerve damage. What’s happening inside your ear: When sound exceeds ~85 dB, it starts mechanically stressing the hair cells in your cochlea. The first response is a Temporary Threshold Shift, which means hearing dims, tinnitus (ringing) kicks in, and it typically clears within 16–48 hours. But even short exposures like this can lead to permanent hearing loss. All it takes is minutes in a loud environment to trigger this event. Kujawa & Liberman (J Neurosci, 2009) showed even those “recoverable” exposures cause permanent, rapid loss of hearing nerve function leading to hidden hearing loss. With repeated exposures, those temporary shifts become permanent. Hair cells die. And more alarming, they cannot regrow. What does that have to do with your brain? The Lancet Commission on Dementia (2020 & 2024) identified hearing loss as the single largest modifiable dementia risk factor from midlife. A meta-analysis of 1.5M people found dementia risk rises 16% for every 10 dB of hearing loss. Concerts routinely hit 100–110 dB. Simple foam earplugs cost $1. Fashion-conscious wearers can invest in decorative ones. Musicians use earplugs that preserve sound quality while cutting the damage. The importance of hearing is why I focus on hearing-preserving treatments for brain tumors affecting the hearing nerve (acoustic neuromas). Because protecting hearing IS protecting your brain. Wear the earplugs. Go to your ENT if you have hearing loss to correct it. Your brain will thank you. Share with people you know who go to live shows, concerts, and care about their brain health. Link to the ones I use in my link in bio. #brainhealth #hearingloss #dementia #acousticneuroma #neurosurgeon

Dr. Rupa Juthani

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Sunday 22 March 2026 02:13:56 GMT