A Young Person Loves Going to Music Concerts and Frequently

Multiple Choice

A young person loves going to music concerts and frequently stands as close to the stage as they can. They never wear earplugs or any protective earwear. After years of concerts, they become hard-of-hearing and can no longer hear quiet sounds or low talking. What has happened to the concert-goer?

A) Their tympanic membrane has hardened from loud sounds.
B) Their hair cells are permanently damaged and desensitized to loud sounds.
C) The sound vibrations have caused a tumor to develop in their brain, which puts pressure on the vestibulocochlear nerve.
D) They must have used the antibiotic drug streptomycin at the same time as the loud music, which weakened their ear structures and caused them to rupture.