system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why can our ears handle the pressure from water or air just fine, but excessive loud noise can cause damage?
gpt
There's a difference between damaging your ears, and damaging your hearing. 

Your ears, or more specifically your eardrums, can be damaged by air or water pressure. You may have experienced ear pain if you fly, or dive down deep in the water. Excessive pressure diffferentials on either side of the eardrum can rupture the disc. Although, this is temporary/repairable. 

Loud noises can damage your hearing by destroying the fine hairs and nerve endings within the cochlear.