Why Do We Wince When We Hear A Loud Noise?

1 October 2019, 14:23

Prepare for the horn to go off - don't wince.
Prepare for the horn to go off - don't wince. Picture: PA

It's so hard to not react when you can see something coming. But why does something as simple as sounds have that effect?

Mystery Hour Question

Why do we wince when we hear a loud noise?

Stuart, Southend

Answer

** Definitive **

Name: Dan, Bow

Qualification: Anatomy lecturer

Answer: As sound waves hit the eardrum, the pressure inside, between the inner ear and the back of the throat, compresses to match the pressure that might be coming from the outside.