We live in a noisy world. Alarms, television, kitchen appliances, traffic, loud music, sirens and industrial activities are prevalent in our daily lives. It’s estimated that more than 30 million Americans are regularly exposed to hazardous levels of sound, but what sounds are considered hazardous? And how can we prevent damage to our hearing?
Measuring Sound Levels
Just like distance is measured in miles and time is measured in minutes, sound is measured in decibels, or dB. Specifically, decibels measure the amplitude, or size and forcefulness, of the sound wave. Because they’re measuring a wave of energy, which grows exponentially, decibels must also increase exponentially, unlike miles and minutes, which are measured linearly (e.g., one mile is always the same distance). Increasing the sound by two decibels doubles the volume; increasing the sound by ten decibels makes it ten times louder.
Sound Levels That Can Cause Hearing Loss
Powerful sound waves with high amplitudes can cause damage to the delicate cells in our ears, resulting in hearing loss. This is called noise-induced hearing loss, and it’s the second leading cause of hearing loss.
Sound waves with an amplitude of 85 dB or higher are forceful enough to cause damage. The extent of the damage can vary depending on how loud it is, how long you’re exposed to it and even how close you are to it.
At 85 dB, it takes eight hours of prolonged exposure for the sound waves to cause lasting damage. From there, safe listening time is cut in half for every rise of 2–3 dB, since that represents a doubling of the sound wave force. At 120 dB and above, a single one-second sound can cause immediate and permanent hearing damage.
Noise Pollution and Its Effect on Hearing
You’ll probably be aware of potential hearing damage when exposed to sounds at 120 dB; these include sounds like fireworks and gunfire. Sounds closer to 85 dB are much more insidious, because you may not even realize that they’re above hazardous levels. You may be exposed to 85 dB of sound for eight hours straight, spread out across traffic sounds, your hair dryer and listening to music through your headphones.
There’s also noise from the environment around you. Noise pollution is a term used to describe unwanted or bothersome noise that can cause problems for human health or the environment. It commonly originates from industrial facilities, manufacturing and construction sites, transportation (including cars, trains, airplanes, and trucks) and loud music or entertainment venues. We have become accustomed to noise pollution without realizing that it’s causing lasting damage.
How to Prevent Hearing Damage
As rates of hearing loss in teens and young adults increase, we need to become more aware of how the sounds of our everyday lives might be harming our hearing slowly over time. Here are some measures you can take to combat noise-induced hearing loss:
- Turn the volume down. When listening to music or audio through headphones or watching television, it’s a good idea to keep volume levels down. As speakers become more advanced (i.e., louder), keep your listening volume at 60% of maximum or lower.
- Use a sound measuring app. This is a great way to train yourself to be aware of hazardous sound levels. There are many free sound measurement apps available for your smartphone.
- Give your ears a break. Try to take five-minute breaks throughout the day in total or near silence, especially if you know that you’ve been near loud noise for a while.
- Wear hearing protection. For loud activities, such as concerts, sporting events, snowmobiling, using power tools in the yard or shooting, use hearing protection. Earplugs are inexpensive and widely available, and there are also specialty earplugs for specific activities.
If you have any questions about noise pollution or ways to protect your hearing, contact Heuser Hearing Institute. We have a wealth of knowledge on hearing protection, and we’re also ready to help you start your hearing loss journey if you suspect your hearing has been damaged by noise pollution.