YES! Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Is Preventable- Here's how! PART ONE

We find ourselves listening to all kinds of noise throughout the day, some sounds are loud and annoying and some we find comfort in. Think about how many sounds you hear on an average car ride. The car radio, the hum of the traffic, the sound of the engine. While the link between noise and hearing loss is by no means new, what is new is the rise of how many people are at risk of it due to everyday exposure to environmental and recreational noise. According to the World Health organization (WHO) about one third of ALL hearing loss worldwide is due to noise exposure. This type of hearing loss is termed noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) and most people who develop it will eventually need some kind of intervention to help them hear BUT there is some good news. NIHL is entirely preventable, by simply adjusting your behaviors and creating healthy hearing habits your risk of NIHL is dramatically reduced. Read on to learn more about NIHL and how to prevent it.

What’s The Big Deal With Noise and Hearing?

To understand the importance of protecting our hearing from noise, it’s important to understand what excessive noise does to the ears. Noise causes hearing loss by damaging and destroying hair cells in the inner ear. Hair cells are important because they transmit environmental sound to the brain, so that the brain can process the sound. Unfortunately we’re born with a fixed number of hair cells about 16,000 in total and once these delicate cells are damaged they can’t be replaced or repaired. The process in which these hair cells are damaged and eventually die typically progresses slowly with roughly 30-50% of them destroyed before changes in hearing can be detected. In other words, the damage may have already been done before realizing you have a permanent hearing loss.

How do I know if Noise is damaging my hearing?

There are some early warning signs of noise damage. In most cases NIHL doesn’t happen overnight. Noise exposure is cumulative, meaning it is the result of many instances where the environment was too loud. Sure, some people experience a one time event where the noise is so loud, the damage is instantaneous and obvious but that is only true for just a small percentage of people with NIHL. In fact according to the CDC an estimated 12.5 % of youth from age 6-19 yrs and 17% if adults have suffered permanent damage to their hearing from dangerous noise levels (visit www.wiselittleears.com to learn more about prevention strategies for noise induced hearing loss in babies and youth). Due to this, I remind my clients at every opportunity of the early warning signs of noise damage. These signs usually show up during or immediately after a noisy encounter and If you experience just one of these symptoms then consider it a WARNING, the environment you were in was too LOUD. Follow the All Things Hear Checklist for Early Warning Signs of Noise Damage.

Checklist for Early Warning Signs of Noise Damage Download

How Do I Know If It’s Too Loud?

The actual definition of noise is unwanted or unpleasant sound but the truth is any sound so long as it’s intense enough, long enough or close enough to you can cause NIHL. This is the reason why we’re often at risk for NIHL in recreational settings.

Noise is measured in units called decibels (dB). Generally speaking 0 dB is the softest sound the human ear can hear. Average conversation levels are about 60 dB, a lawnmower is about 90 dB while noise at sporting events can reach up to 110 dB. You get the idea…the larger the number, the louder the noise, it’s pretty simple. Loudness is also influenced by how much time you are around it and how close you are to it. The closer you are to the noise source the louder it is AND the louder the noise the less time you can safely be exposed to it.

Experts agree that sounds at 70 dB and below are generally considered safe; long and repeated exposure to noise at these levels will not cause any hearing damage. On the flip side you need to pay attention to noise levels at 85 dB and above; exposure to noise at these levels puts you at a greater risk of hearing loss.

The All Things Hear Common Noise Level Guide is based on WHO and CDC recommendations of safe listening limits. Pay attention to the noise levels listed in red.

There are a number of noise monitoring apps available through your smartphone, these apps will monitor your environmental noise levels and let you know when you‘re at risk of damaging your hearing. My favorite and one that I recommend is the NIOSH Sound Level Meter. This simple to use iOS app is free and was created by experts at the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health.

I also use Apple’s noise app and the Apple watch to monitor my noise exposure throughout the day for mores details on this app and how to use it, see the All Things Hear blog post, What’s All the Noise About?

If you’re not into tech don’t worry just remind yourself of these two things; if you have to raise your voice to be heard or need to get real close to follow the conversation the chances are the environment you’re in is too LOUD. Also check out PART TWO of this blog post, for more practical ways of protecting your hearing in noise.

REMEMBER…. It’s never too late to protect your hearing and develop healthy hearing habits.