Ears have a natural mechanism to help protect them against extremely loud and damaging noises, new research suggests.

Ears have a natural mechanism to help protect them against extremely loud and damaging noises, new research suggests.

73. And believe no one except the one who follows your religion. Say (O Muhammad ): "Verily! Right guidance is the Guidance of Allah" and do not believe that anyone can receive like that which you have received (of Revelation) except when he follows your religion, otherwise they would engage you in argument before your Lord. Say (O Muhammad ): "All the bounty is in the Hand of Allah; He grants to whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, the All-Knower."

74. He selects for His Mercy (Islam and the Qur'an with Prophethood) whom He wills and Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty.

75. Among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is he who, if entrusted with a Cantar (a great amount of wealth, etc.), will readily pay it back; and among them there is he who, if entrusted with a single silver coin, will not repay it unless you constantly stand demanding, because they say: "There is no blame on us to betray and take the properties of the illiterates (Arabs)." But they tell a lie against Allah while they know it.

76. Yes, whoever fulfils his pledge and fears Allah much; verily, then Allah loves those who are Al-Muttaqun(the pious - see V.2:2).

77. Verily, those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant and their oaths, they shall have no portion in the Hereafter (Paradise). Neither will Allah speak to them, nor look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they shall have a painful torment.

78. And verily, among them is a party who distort the Book with their tongues (as they read), so that you may think it is from the Book, but it is not from the Book, and they say: "This is from Allah," but it is not from Allah; and they speak a lie against Allah while they know it.

79. It is not (possible) for any human being to whom Allah has given the Book and Al-Hukma (the knowledge and understanding of the laws of religion, etc.) and Prophethood to say to the people: "Be my worshippers rather than Allah's." On the contrary (he would say): "Be you Rabbaniyun (learned men of religion who practise what they know and also preach others), because you are teaching the Book, and you are studying it."

80. Nor would he order you to take angels and Prophets for lords (gods). Would he order you to disbelieve after you have submitted to Allah's Will? (Tafsir At-Tabari).3. Aal-'Imran

Researchers pinpointed a connection from a part of the ear known as the cochlea to the brain that warns of intense incoming noise. The cochlea is the hearing part of the inner ear.

This noise alert system may be the reason you stick your fingers in your ears when there is an extremely loud sound nearby, such as the siren of an emergency vehicle, the research team explained.

"It's very important for your system to have protection from damaging sound," study senior author Jaime Garcia-Anoveros, an associate professor of anesthesiology from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, said in a university news release.

"When sensory hair cells in the ear die, they are not repopulated. That's why hearing loss is irreversible. You need to be able to detect dangerous sound the way your nerve cells alert you to the danger of putting your hand on a hot iron," explained Garcia-Anoveros, who is also an investigator at the university's hearing center.

The study was conducted in mice, but the investigators believe people have a similar system. They want to research this pathway in humans. Experts note that research in animals often fails to translate to humans.

Details of the study appear in the Feb. 20 issue of Nature Reviews Neuroscience. The study was also published in Current Biology.

The findings could improve understanding and treatment of conditions such as tinnitus (a persistent ringing in the ears) and hyperacusis, an oversensitivity and earache in response to everyday sounds that is common among soldiers who have been exposed to explosions.

"We do not know how to treat these debilitating conditions, and understanding what neuronal pathway might be involved is essential," Garcia-Anoveros said. "If we find they are actually pain syndromes rather than hearing syndromes, perhaps they could be treated effectively with analgesic pain medication that acts on the brain."

Tinnitus, (pronounced tih-NIGHT-us or TIN-ih-tus) is a ringing, swishing, or other type of noise that seems to originate in the ear or head. Most of us will experience tinnitus or sounds in the ears at some time or another. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), about 10% of adults in the U.S. have experienced tinnitus lasting at least five miniutes in the past year. Tinnitus is identified more frequently in white individuals, and the prevalence of tinnitus in the U.S. is almost twice as frequent in the South as in the Northeast.

Tinnitus can be extremely disturbing to people who have it. In many cases it is not a serious problem, but rather a nuisance that may go away. However, some people with tinnitus may require medical or surgical treatment. Thirteen million Americans have tinnitus, and about one-quarter of those experience it so severely it interferes with their daily activities.

Tinnitus can arise in any of the four sections of the hearing system: the outer ear, the middle ear, the inner ear, and the brain. Some tinnitus or "head noise" is normal. A number of techniques and treatments may be of help, depending on the cause.

• Some of the most common include a sound of crickets or roaring, buzzing, hissing, whistling, and high-pitched ringing.
• Other types of tinnitus include a clicking or pulsatile tinnitus (the noise accompanies your heartbeat).
• The most common type of tinnitus is known as subjective tinnitus, meaning that you hear a sound but it cannot be heard by others.
• A much more uncommon sort is called objective tinnitus, meaning your doctor may sometimes actually hear a sound when he or she is carefully listening for it.

Tinnitus is not a disease in itself but rather a reflection of something else that is going on in the hearing system or brain.

• Probably the most common cause for tinnitus is hearing loss. As we age, or because of trauma to the ear (through noise, drugs, or chemicals), the portion of the ear that allows us to hear, the cochlea, becomes damaged.
  • Current theories suggest that because the cochlea is no longer sending the normal signals to the brain, the brain becomes confused and essentially develops its own noise to make up for the lack of normal sound signals. This then is interpreted as a sound, tinnitus.
  • This tinnitus can be made worse by anything that makes our hearing worse, such as ear infection or excess wax in the ear.
  • Tinnitus caused by ear trauma is usually noticed in both ears, because both ears are usually exposed to the same noises, drugs, and other influences
  • Loud noise exposure is a very common cause of tinnitus today, and it often damages hearing as well. Unfortunately, many people are unconcerned about the harmful effects of excessively loud noise from firearms, high intensity music, or other sources.
  • Twenty-six million American adults have suffered noise-induced hearing loss according to the NIDCD.
• Other causes of tinnitus include drugs such as aspirin (if overused), aminoglycoside antibiotics (a powerful form of infection-fighting drug), andquinine.
• Meniere's disease includes dizziness, tinnitus, and fullness in the ear or hearing loss that can last for hours, but then goes away. This disease is actually caused by a problem in the ear itself. The tinnitus is merely a symptom.
• A rare cause of subjective tinnitus includes a certain type of brain tumor known as an acoustic neuroma. The tumors grow on the nerve that supplies hearing and can cause tinnitus. This type of tinnitus is usually only noticed in one ear, unlike the more common sort caused by hearing loss usually seen in both ears.
• Causes of objective tinnitus are usually easier to find.
• Pulsatile tinnitus is usually related to blood flow, either through normal or abnormal blood vessels near the ear. Causes of pulsatile tinnitus include pregnancy, anemia (lack of blood cells), overactive thyroid, or tumors involving blood vessels near the ear. Pulsatile tinnitus can also be caused by a condition known as benign intracranial hypertension-an increase in the pressure of the fluid surrounding the brain.
• Clicking types of objective tinnitus can be caused by jaw joint misalignment (TMJ) problems or muscles of the ear or throat "twitching."

• With tinnitus, you hear a noise that no one around you hears.
• This noise is usually a buzzing or ringing type sound, but it may be a clicking or rushing sound that goes along with your heartbeat.
• The sound is sometimes accompanied byhearing loss and dizziness in a syndrome known as Meniere's disease.

When to Seek Medical Care

Most newly noticed tinnitus should be evaluated by a physician. Because tinnitus is usually a symptom of something else, if it begins suddenly, see your doctor. This is particularly important if the tinnitus is only heard on one side.

Although the majority of cases of tinnitus are not caused by any acute problems, certain symptoms need to be evaluated to determine whether or not a more serious medical condition is causing the symptoms.

• Any time that tinnitus comes on suddenly, particularly in one ear or is associated with hearing loss, seek an immediate evaluation. Sudden hearing loss is often accompanied by tinnitus, and there are medications that may help to restore that hearing. Also certain types of tumors can cause sudden hearing loss and tinnitus that warrant an evaluation.
• Tinnitus that is pulsatile (in rhythm with your heartbeat) and comes on suddenly should also be checked relatively rapidly. In very rare instances, this sort of tinnitus can develop because of an aneurysm (a bulging of the wall of a blood vessel) near the ear or because of the sudden onset of very high blood pressure.
• Any time tinnitus is noticed in association with changes in personality, difficulty speaking or walking, or with any other movement problem, you should be evaluated for the possibility of a stroke.

Tinnitus Diagnosis

• Initial evaluation will include a complete history and physical examination of the head and neck including the various nerves in the area.
• A complete hearing test (audiogram) will also be performed. Depending on the type of tinnitus, either a special audiogram known as an auditory brainstem response (ABR) or a brain scan such as a computerized tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may also be required.
• In some cases, your blood pressure and possibly some blood tests forhyperthyroidism may be taken. In very rare instances, a spinal tap may be performed to measure the fluid pressure in the skull and spinal cord.

If you having ringing in your ears, you should be evaluated by a health care professional. Treatment of tinnitus depends upon the cause. Example of treatments include:

• medications,
• decreased emotional stress,
• biofeedback, and
• lifestyle changes.

Tinnitus Self-Care at Home

Most cases of tinnitus should be evaluated by an ear, nose, and throat physician before home treatment begins to be sure that the tinnitus is not caused by another treatable problem.

Herbal remedies (ginkgo biloba, melatonin), and the vitamin zinc are not recommended by the American Academy of Otolaryngology.