Causing Harm To Your Hearing?
Many of us habitually use earphones throughout the day to drown out noise during our commutes and at work. But could this behaviour be prematurely causing harm to your hearing?
It often begins subtly. The guitars in your favorite song no longer seem loud enough, prompting you to crank up the volume. Dialogue on the TV becomes a challenge to hear, and deciphering conversations in a crowded pub turns into an ordeal.
Hearing loss is frequently not a sudden event but rather something that accumulates gradually over time. Some experts suggest that certain modern behaviors, such as the increasing use of earphones for listening to music and movies. This may contribute to the premature agings of our hearing. This issue may be affecting younger adults more than in the past.
Why should I be concerned about my hearing?
Surprisingly, many aspects of our daily lives expose us to loud noise that often goes unnoticed until it’s too late. Recreational noise, personal music players, concerts, bars, and movie theaters can all contribute to this. There’s a lot of noise in our environment that we may be exposed to on a daily basis.
Prolonged exposure to loud noise can increase the risk of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) for anyone, regardless of age. However, there’s evidence to suggest that people may start experiencing NIHL at an earlier age, either due to their profession or recreational activities.
The impact of noise exposure during your youth may not become apparent until it begins to compound with the agings process. You might have only experienced a minor degree of hearing loss and damage at present, but it’s in your later years that the consequences are likely to intensify into a significant problem.
What leisure activities could causing harm to My hearing?
The National Institute for Occupational Safety (NIOSH) and Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), set the standard sound exposure limit at 85 decibels. It is equivalent to the noise of city traffic heard from inside a car. Prolonged exposure to anything above that limit can significantly increase the risk of hearing loss over time. While NIHL can occur immediately, its effects are often not noticeable until later in life.
According to a study from the University of Leicester, headphones on music players sound levels can reach 120dBs. Therefor it is extremely dangerous. Noises exceeding 110dBs can strip away the myelin sheath from nerve cells. It cause hindering the delivery of electrical signals from the ears to the brain. This damage is permanent and irreversible.
Power tools produce around 90dBs, a chainsaw or jet ski about 100dBs. Loud club or concert around 105dBs, and a very loud car stereo can reach up to 120dBs or more. Being a few feet away from a gun produces a sound of 140dBs or above the threshold of pain.
While many people experience temporary threshold shifts after loud events like concerts, where hearing is muffled for a few days. But returns, these shifts can cause fatigue to the tiny hairs within the inner ear. To aid recovery, retreat to a quiet place until your hearing regains sensitivity. Avoid causing more temporary threshold shifts in the future.
How can I tell if my hearing is declining?
Early exposure to loud noise can significantly increase your risk of developing hearing loss, often leading to more severe conditions. Ricketts refers to this as a “delayed effect.”
How can I prevent causing harm to my hearing?
Lower your smartphone’s volume to reduce the risk of early hearing loss. Adjust the volume limit in your settings to about 70% to resist the temptation to listen at unsafe levels. When attending a concert or music festival, consider using earplugs. You never know when you might find yourself close to a loudspeaker.
Opt for ear protection equipment that have certification data describes the compliance of a hearing protection product. This is perhaps the simplest way to ensure that your enjoyment of music doesn’t compromise a lifetime of auditory pleasure. Lastly, do hearing check from time to time.
