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Hearing Loss Prevention Tips

Every day we experience sound in our environment such as the television, radio, washing machine, automobiles, buses and trucks. But when an individual is exposed to harmful sounds-sounds that are too loud or loud sounds over a long time-sensitive structures of the inner ear can be damaged causing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL).

NIHL is serious. Some 30 million people are at risk in the workplace, in recreational settings, and at home. In fact, it is the most common work-related disease. Already, 10 million Americans have permanently damaged their hearing.

Riddle: What is painless, odorless, tasteless, invisible, and toxic?

The following tips may help save you or your childs hearing. Share these tips with your family so they too will be aware of the dangers of NIHL.

• Noise-induced hearing loss is preventable.
  
  
• There are three things to consider about noise: How loud. How long. How close.
  
  
• Workplace noises contribute to noise-induced hearing loss.
  
  
• An extreme noise like a firecracker, experienced at close range, can damage hearing permanently in an instant.
  
  
• Repeated exposure to engines and machines like motorcycles or chain saws can erode hearing more slowly. The result is the same: irreversible hearing loss.
  
  
• Be aware of damaging noise.
  
  
• Be prepared to protect your hearing. Carry earplugs or other protection.
  
  
• Help your kids understand how hearing works and how it can be damaged.
  
  
• If you are standing next to a person wearing a personal radio with earphones . . . and you can hear the lyrics to the song . . . damage.
  
  
• If your kids are watching you cut wood with a power saw to build a bookshelf in your basement and you're not wearing protection . . . you are all experiencing damage.
  
  
• If your teenager is doing lawn work for the summer, using a gasoline engine and not wearing hearing protection, hour after hour, it's doing damage.
  
  
• If anyone in your family uses a firearm for recreational shooting, and does not use hearing protection . . . damage.

Know which noises can cause damage and wear ear plugs when you are involved in a loud activity:

NIHL (Noise-Induced Hearing Loss) can be caused by a one-time exposure to loud sound as well as by repeated exposure to sounds at various loudness levels over an extended period of time. The loudness of sound is measured in units called decibels.

• Regular exposure of 110 decibels (and higher) for more than one minute risks permanent hearing loss.
• No more than 15 minutes of unprotected exposure of 100 decibels is recommended.
• Prolonged exposure to any noise above 90 decibels can cause gradual hearing loss!
  
  
  • Rock concerts and firecrackers are 140 decibels!
  • Loud bass in cars (when other cars can feel the vibration and hear the noise) and snowmobiles are 120 decibels!
  • A chainsaw is 110 decibels
  • Wood shop is 100 decibels
  • Lawn mowers and motorcycles are 90 decibels
  • City traffic noise is 80 decibels
  • Normal conversation is 60 decibels
  • Refrigerator humming is 40 decibels

Answer to riddle: What is painless, odorless, tasteless, invisible, and toxic? Noise-induced hearing loss.

For additional information, please visit the MedicineNet.com Hearing Center.

Source: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (www.nidcd.nih.gov)

Last Editorial Review: 5/1/2002