A Campaign to Make Listening Safe for All

While old age is the most common cause of hearing loss affecting half of all seniors over 75, noise induced hearing loss can affect people of all ages. The number of people 20-69 years of age affected by exposure to excessive noise only continues to rise.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 12.5% of people 6–19 years or 5.2 million and 17% of adults aged 20–69 years or 26 million deal with permanent hearing damage due to noise exposure. The World Health Organization (WHO) fights to educate people on safe listening practices so their hearing stays healthy for years to come.

One of the greatest risks to ears

Our world is becoming increasingly loud. Exposure to noise at sporting events, auditoriums and concert venues usually expose us to sounds that can permanently damage our ears.

Often the threat to our ears comes at work, where we are often exposed to dangerous levels of noise day after day for eight hours or more. While we can identify these locations as places that threaten our hearing and plan to wear hearing protection, there is a source that is damaging people due to their everyday practice, without even realizing it.

As smartphones and MP3 players become more and more common, the amount of time and the listening level can have a big impact on our ears. Personal listening devices are one of the greatest risks to the ears of people of all ages. It’s important to understand what can put your ears at risk and know when you are being exposed so you can plan to protect yourself.

How to prevent noise-induced hearing loss

Sound is measured in decibels and any noise level at 85 dBA or higher puts our ears at risk. At a lower level of dangerous exposure the damage can compound over time. It is important to know the decibel level of environments you frequent to understand if your hearing is at risk.

Apps can be downloaded onto your smartphone to help you identify the decibel level in your most frequented places. If the level exceeds safe levels then make sure to use hearing protection to avoid damage. Most earplugs and earmuffs can reduce decibel level anywhere from 15-30 dBA.

In the case of personal listening devices it is so important to take breaks. Due to the large amount of information that can be streamed online people often listen to podcasts or music for hours on end and never run out of new things to listen to. This has a huge impact on hearing health. Make sure to keep the volume of your personal listening device at 60% of the potential volume or lower and take listening breaks every hour.

Standards on protection from noise

WHO is making great strides in ensuring that the hearing of people of all ages is being protected. Even when we understand the importance of protecting hearing, there is no way to be sure that your listening device is at a safe listening volume.

In 2018 WHO published “Guidelines for safe listening devices/systems” which mandates that the weekly sound dose, of headphones and earphones associated with personal music players, should be limited to the equivalent of 75 or 80 dBA for 80 hours/week. In October 2019, a feature the health app on iPhones reports weekly exposure to noise to monitor the risk to hearing.

Know the warning signs of hearing loss

If your hearing is damaged there is no way to reverse this. However most hearing loss due to noise exposure can be treated effectively using hearing aids. There are many negative side effects to hearing loss that affect much more than our hearing, including depression, isolation, memory problems and a greater risk for falls and accidents.

The sooner you deal with potential hearing damage the better. Make sure to have your hearing checked annually and sooner if you feel you are having trouble hearing the people in your life.  Contact us to set up a hearing test today. We can help you understand the status of your hearing health and help you find the most comfortable and convenient way to deal with your hearing loss.