Noise-induced hearing loss happens when the frail structures of your inner ear is permanently damaged. Loud noises place excessive pressure on the stereocilia, organelles found on the hair cells that line the inner ear. If the pressure is high enough or repeats consistently, it kills the cells, which can’t regenerate.
Noise-induced hearing loss can happen in two main ways. You might be exposed to a single sound loud enough to destroy some or all of your ear’s hair cells. Alternatively, your employment history may have involved repeated exposure to high noise volumes, such as those from power tools or machinery. In this case, the chances of hearing loss increase with time.