It is conceivable that germs in our gut communicate with our brain and sensory systems and alter their function. Whilst the gut-brain axis has already been established in the scientific literature, the links between the gut and the inner ear are still speculative. Our key hypothesis is that the healthy gut is required for the maintenance of inner ear function, whilst the disease of the gastrointestinal system can induce chronic inflammation in the inner ear and thus contribute to hearing loss. This study will present a novel approach to demonstrate an important and relevant link between these two organ systems