What did you say?

It's like your mother always told you. Research indicates that years of repeated exposure to loud noise increases a person's risk of developing a noncancerous tumor that could cause hearing loss.

"It's not surprising that the longer that people are exposed to loud noise, the greater their chances become for developing the tumor," said Colin Edwards, a doctoral student in the School of Public Health at The Ohio State University.

Researchers said the source of the noise -- whether workplace or music -- does not matter. The study indicates that people regularly exposed to loud noise were more likely to develop the tumor compared to people who weren't exposed to noise.

The tumor, called acoustic neuroma, grows slowly, and symptoms typically become noticeable starting around age 50. The researchers said the tumor presses against nerves in the brain that are responsible for sensing and balancing sound.

The researchers said the tumor is fairly rare, accounting for only about 6 to 10 percent of tumors that develop inside the skull. Doctors might be able to surgically remove the tumor if detected early enough.

Symptoms could include hearing loss and a constant ringing in the ears, or tinnitus. The two types of loud noise posing the highest risk were exposure to machines, power tools and/or construction and exposure to music.

Researchers said the findings stress the importance of wearing ear protection when exposed to loud noises, though people who said they protected their ears had about the same risk.

The study is currently in the online advance access edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology. The study will also appear in the Feb. 15 printed edition.