Our modern world is noisier than ever. We’re exposed to noise on a daily basis that people only a few hundred years ago would have thought unimaginable. While noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) was on the decline in the earlier part of this century, it is on the rise again. About 10% of Millennials and 17% of Gen-Z’ers have hearing loss. This statistic is especially concerning since Gen-Z is younger than Millennials.
While NIHL, once incurred, is permanent, it is also completely preventable. October is Protect Your Hearing Month, so let’s take a look at exactly how NIHL is caused, and what we can do to protect ourselves against it.
About NIHL
Sometimes a severe amount of hearing loss is caused by a catastrophically loud sound, like an explosion. Far more often, NIHL is caused little by little, with tiny amounts of hearing loss building up over time.
Moderately loud sound as low as 85 dBA (decibels A-weighted) in level can cause hearing loss after 8 hours of exposure. 85 dBA is about the sound level you experience when mowing the lawn with a gas-powered lawn mower, using a leaf blower, or using a noisy vacuum cleaner.
For every additional 3 dBA of sound, the safe time of exposure is cut in half. By the time we reach 100 dBA, hearing loss sets in after only 15 minutes. 100 dBA is the average noise level at a high school dance, or for a person riding a motorcycle. At 110 dBA—the average volume at a rock concert—it only takes about 2 minutes to cause permanent hearing loss. The longer we experience the noise, the more hearing loss we incur.
Regular Hearing Tests
Because NIHL tends to happen so slowly, it’s important to get regular hearing tests so you can find out that you’re experiencing NIHL before you have a problematic amount of hearing loss. Many people may have 5–10 dBHL (decibels Hearing Level) of hearing loss and not even be aware, because this amount of hearing loss will not cause any problems in your life.
If we learn that we have some minor hearing loss, we can start taking better steps to prevent hearing loss going forward. By getting tested regularly, we can know whether our protective measures are working effectively. By checking in with your hearing every so often, you can maintain your best hearing ability as late into life as possible.
The Better Hearing Institute, a non-profit organization, recommends getting a hearing test once every decade until age 50, and once every three years after that. Those in higher-risk professions or with more regular exposure to unsafe sound levels should be tested even more frequently.
How To Protect Against NIHL
The way you protect your hearing is an individual matter. There are many types of hearing protection available. The one(s) you choose will have to do with the activities you enjoy, the shape of your ear canals, whether you wear glasses, and even the climate.
Earmuffs are great for many activities, though glasses and heat can make them less effective and less comfortable. There is a wide range of earplugs, ranging in cost from less than $1.00 to hundreds of dollars for custom-molded options. The more you find yourself wearing hearing protection, the more you’ll start to think about which types you prefer. The important thing is to always protect your ears around loud sounds!
NIHL and PLDs
Personal listening devices (PLDs) are also a major source of NIHL. The amount of sound we take in from PLDs is hard to measure, but it’s known that the maximum volume on most modern PLDs is even louder than the original Sony Walkman, which was already loud enough to cause hearing loss.
When using PLDs, always set the volume to be just loud enough that you can hear the audio content clearly. Over-the-ear headphones are safer than earbuds, though they are also bulkier to carry. If you spend a lot of time listening to PLDs in louder environments—like planes, trains or busses—it may be worth investing in headphones with active noise-canceling technology. These will reduce the level of outside sounds, allowing you to hear the desired content from your PLD more clearly at a lower volume.
Celebrate Protect Your Hearing Month by doing something positive for your ears! Invest in a nice set of noise-canceling headphones, or custom-molded earplugs. If you’re due for a hearing test, make an appointment today! If you do have a problematic degree of hearing loss, hearing aids are the best treatment. Call us any time to talk about your concerns and make an appointment for a hearing test.
