Life is loud. Spending just an hour mowing your lawn without wearing hearing protection can cause irreversible damage to your hearing. But whether you’re cheering on your favourite sports teams, flying on an airplane, or getting your teeth cleaned at your dentist’s office, remember that you could be exposing your ears to unsafe noise levels.
The good news is that noise-induced hearing loss is preventable. You can avoid damaging your hearing by establishing safe listening levels, understanding how much exposure is safe and by wearing hearing protection.
Listen Carefully recommends following these three easy steps to prevent noise induced hearing loss:
(1) Distance yourself from loud sounds
(2) Lower the volume
(3) Protect your ears
So, just how loud is too loud?
Understanding what noise levels are safe and how long you can be exposed to those levels before damage occurs can be confusing. Professionals use a complex formula to calculate risk, but in simpler terms, the chance of hearing loss greatly increases as the sound level and duration of exposure increase.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prolonged exposure to sounds 85dB and above can be hazardous to your hearing. See more here.
Our musical devices and headphones
Unfortunately in today’s world, it is our headphones and personal listening devices that pose the most damage. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that as many as one in five teens in the United States have a hearing loss, which is a 30 percent increase over the last decade. More than 20 percent of teens have measurable hearing loss as a result of noise exposure, and experts believe one in six teens may have permanent hearing loss due to loud sounds.
Personal audio devices bring sound into the ear canal and closer to the eardrum, increasing sound intensity and subsequently the risk of permanent damage. To ensure safe listening levels for personal audio devices, keep volume at or below half of the maximum output. Keep in mind that electronic manufacturers are not required to designate safe listening levels on electronics, therefore parents are encouraged to listen through their children’s headphones to make sure the levels of loudness are comfortable and safe.
Download the SoundCheck app to help identify unsafe noise levels: App Store and Google Play.
The importance of protection:
Healthy listening levels should be established while using personal listening devices, especially for children, and hearing protection should be utilized when attending concerts or other loud events.
Hearing protection is especially important when it comes to occupational and recreational noises such as a construction site, a factory or when out hunting or shooting. Using hearing protection can reduce your risk of noise exposure and can be worn during everyday activities such as riding a motorcycle, mowing the yard or attending a concert.
There are a number of protective options including custom-fit earplugs or simply foam earplugs you can keep in your car or purse.
Excessive noise exposure can lead to permanent hearing loss. If you are concerned about noise exposure or have hearing concerns, contact your professional today.
Sources:
- Shargorodsky, J., Curhan, S. G., Curhan, G. C., & Eavey, R. (2010). Change in Prevalence of Hearing Loss in US Adolescents. Journal of the American Medical Association, 304 (7), 772-778
- https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/noise-induced-hearing-loss