This is an excellent example of the way in which the environment and genes interact, and the way medications and genes interact. Some variations of the many genes above may be involved in the hearing loss of older adults. Those adults who are carriers may be more sensitive to common environmental factors like loud noises. Infections can scar the eardrum or even the deeper parts of the hearing structures. Hearing structures may also be damaged by trauma, such as head injuries.
Chemicals can damage various parts of the hearing structures.
Earlier, we mentioned that some antibiotics have this unfortunate property, and that certain gene variants make such damage more likely. Some chemicals, such as magnesium, appear to protect the hairs of the inner ear against damage. Smoking has been linked to hearing loss. You probably know that smoking can lead to blockages in the blood vessels of the heart which, in turn, can lead to a heart attack. Smoking also causes blockages in the tiny blood vessels that nourish the hairs of the inner ear.