Why Do We Wince When We Hear A Loud Noise?
| Updated: 10 Feb 2026
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.