Noise-induced hearing loss affects an estimated 5% of the worldwide population, with 30-40
million Americans exposed to hazardous sound or noise levels regularly. Sources of noise may
be occupational, blast noise, or recreational. Trauma to the inner ear can occur through
transient hearing loss or permanent hearing loss. Although hearing recovers after temporary
transient hearing loss, growing evidence suggests that repeated temporary transient hearing
loss may lead to a permanent hearing loss. Currently, there are no treatments and there are
no known medications that can be used clinically to prevent noise-induced hearing loss in
humans.
The long-term goal of this research is to find medications that can prevent noise-induced
hearing loss. The purpose of the present pilot study is to evaluate zonisamide and
methylprednisolone as medications to prevent temporary transient hearing loss in humans.