[header] How to protect your hearing [title] Understand noise-related hearing loss. [step] Frequent or prolonged exposure to loud noises is one of the most common causes of hearing loss, despite the fact that this type of hearing loss is completely preventable. [substeps] Our brain registers sound thanks to a spiral-shaped organ in the inner ear called the cochlea. 
The cochlea is covered in thousands of tiny hairs which register sound vibrations and turn them into electrical impulses to be processed by the brain. When your ears are exposed to loud noises, these tiny hairs can become damaged, resulting in hearing loss.