Acoustic Reflex

The acoustic reflex (also known as the stapedius reflex, middle-ear-muscles reflex, attenuation reflex, or auditory reflex) refers to an involuntary contraction of the middle-ear structures (muscles and bones) as a reaction to loud noises. This is why a person's hearing can suffer briefly after attending a loud concert or firing a gun without ear protection. It is a reaction that ultimately protects an individual's hearing.