When the stereocilia are already weakened by chemicals found in water — such as fluoride that enters the ears during bathing — they lose much of the natural strength of their ligaments.

In this fragile state, loud sounds like explosions or factory noise, and even everyday noises — traffic, a slamming door, a ringing phone — can cause irreversible microfractures in those ligaments.

That’s why so many people notice a persistent ringing after being exposed to loud sounds. This ringing is the first sign that the ligaments have been compromised.

And here lies the real problem: once broken, these ligaments cannot reconnect on their own. At first, the stereocilia become tangled, leading to constant tinnitus.

But as more ligaments rupture completely, the stereocilia collapse. 

Without support, they stop transmitting sounds to the brain… and the less they work, the less information the brain receives.

Thus, what begins as a simple ringing can, over time, progress into significant hearing loss or even deafness — often silently, until laughter, conversations, and even the voices of loved ones start to fade away.