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Noise-induced hearing loss explored
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The following valuable information about the medical issue of noise induced hearing loss is provided by our United States National Institutes of Health.
Every day, we experience sound in our environment, such as the sounds from television and radio, household appliances, and traffic.
Normally, these sounds are at safe levels that don't damage our hearing. But sounds can be harmful when they are too loud, even for a brief time, or when they are both loud and long-lasting. These sounds can damage sensitive structures in the inner ear and cause noise-induced hearing loss. Regardless of how it might affect you, one thing is certain: noise-induced hearing loss is something you can prevent.
Who is affected by NIHL? Exposure to harmful noise can happen at any age. People of all ages, including children, teens, young adults, and older people, can develop NIHL. The following information is based on a 2011-2012 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study involving hearing tests and interviews with many participants. The CDC then reported that at least 10 million adults (6 percent) in the US under age 70, and perhaps as many as 40 million adults (24 percent) were found to have features of their hearing test that suggest hearing loss in one or both ears from exposure to loud noise.
Researchers have also estimated that as many as 17 percent of teens (ages 12 to 19) have features of their hearing test suggestive of NIHL in one or both ears, based on pediatric data reported in the American Academy of Pediatrics Journal in 2011.
What causes NIHL? NIHL can be caused by a one-time exposure to an intense "impulse" sound, such as an explosion, or by continuous exposure to loud sounds over an extended period of time. When you are exposed to loud noise over a long period of time, you may slowly start to lose your hearing. Because the damage from noise exposure is usually gradual, you might not notice it, or you might ignore the signs of hearing loss until they become more pronounced.
Over time, sounds may become distorted or muffled, and you might find it difficult to understand other people when they talk or have to turn up the volume on the television. The damage from NIHL, combined with aging, can lead to hearing loss severe enough that you need hearing aids to magnify the sounds around you to help you hear, communicate, and participate more fully in daily activities.
NIHL is the only type of hearing loss that is completely preventable.
The following is what you should do to practice good hearing health, and therefore to protect your hearing for life. Know which noises can cause damage. Wear earplugs or other protective devices when involved in a loud activity (activity-specific earplugs and earmuffs are available at hardware and sporting goods stores).
If you can't reduce the noise or protect yourself from it, move away from it. Be alert to hazardous noises in the environment. Protect the ears of children who are too young to protect their own. Make family, friends, and colleagues aware of the hazards of noise. Have your hearing tested if you think you might have hearing loss.