Can I Hear Cochlea Hair Cells Going Bad?

[John Bacon]

My T is one tone but often I hear what sounds like the crackle of electricity or maybe a wiz sound.
Is it possible I could be hearing a hair cell going bad? Is such a thing possible?

 

[mock turtle]

a great, but highly metaphysical question

can we hear, or see, or smell or feel, brain cells dying ?

maybe

but i would say that we certainly "hear" the results of the death of stereo cilia (hearing "hairs) and thats tinnitus

when the hearing hair cells are wiped out the potassium ion channel gate in the cell malfunctions.but.....the cell lives on... possibly an unfortunate outcome...i dont know for sure (maybe if the cell itself died we wouldnt hear the phantom sounds? (conjecture)

the idea that you can "hear" the damage taking place is not far fetched... for example, one can feel ones skin getting sun burnt...after a while

best wishes
mock turtle

 

[NiNyu]

I hear what sounds like the crackle of electricity too. And I'd say it feels like it's coming from the cochlea and not just the neurons in the brain.

when the hearing hair cells are wiped out the potassium ion channel gate in the cell malfunctions.but.....the cell lives on... possibly an unfortunate outcome...i dont know for sure (maybe if the cell itself died we wouldnt hear the phantom sounds? (conjecture)

That's an interesting question. Though I have heard that even if they cut the cochlea nerve we would hear T.