A bodyguard for your ears: Scientists discover novel pain sensors in inner ear that warn of dangerously loud noise

Our hearing has a secret bodyguard, a newly discovered connection from the cochlea to the brain that warns of intense incoming noise that causes tissue damage and hearing loss. Scientists believe it's the ear's novel pain system designed to protect it from dangerous noise. Because the ear doesn't have the nerve cells that normally detect pain, it needs its own alert system. The findings could usher new treatments for painful hearing conditions like tinnitus and hyperacusis.

Source: ScienceDaily Headlines - February 18, 2015 Category: Science Source Type: news