Julie Raney is a certified and licensed audiologist. She has a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a Master’s Degree in Audiology from Idaho State University. She has worked as a clinical audiologist in Colorado since 2005. She specializes in hearing amplification for adults and delivers her services in both English and Sign Language.

Understanding Noise Induced Hearing Loss

But first let’s talk about noise induced hearing loss. When you’re exposed to very loud noise, either from operating heavy machinery at work or going to a very loud concert, you may damage your ears.

The inside of your inner ear is full of delicate cells that interpret all the sound waves around you, and send information about these sounds to your brain. But very loud noise can damage the cells. Once they’re damaged, they don’t heal or grow back, so you’ll experience permanent hearing loss.

The Louder the Sound, the Faster the Damage

And that’s not all. When sounds are loud, they’ll damage your hearing. But when sounds are extremely loud, they’ll damage your hearing in just a few minutes or seconds! For example, you can listen to heavy traffic noise for a few hours without immediately damaging your hearing. But standing near fireworks or right in front of a speaker at a concert can lead to hearing loss in just one night.

What Sounds Cause Hearing Loss?

Any sounds over 85 decibels (dB) can cause hearing loss. To check how loud the sounds around you are, you can download a free decibel reader app on your smartphone, and measure the volume of the sounds you hear every day. Sounds that can damage your hearing include:

A noisy window air conditioner (85 dB)
Heavy traffic noise (90 dB)
A crowded restaurant (90 dB)
Driving a motorcycle (100 dB)
Riding a tractor (100 dB)
Seeing an action movie in theaters (105 dB)
Emergency sirens (115 dB)
Fireworks (120 dB)
Firing a gun (140 dB)

Work Activities and Hearing Loss

If you work on a noisy construction site, you already know its very loud. Do you wear hearing protection every day? Any job that uses heavy machinery can contribute to hearing loss. Some noisy professions include factory workers, miners, and farmers, ambulance drivers, firefighters, and law enforcement officers.

Musicians also have a very noisy job. Whether on stage, in the recording studio, or making music at home, musicians are constantly surrounded by loud noise. Athletes, bartenders, and waiters are also exposed to dangerously loud music on the job.

Leisure Activities and Hearing Loss

You can also experience hearing loss during leisure activities. In fact, you’re much less likely to wear hearing protection during leisure activities, so you may be damaging your hearing the most when you’re off the clock. Leisure activities that can contribute to hearing loss include:

Attending a concert
Going to a sports event
Playing in a community band
Mowing the lawn with a power lawnmower
Using power tools like a chainsaw or sander
Driving an ATV
Riding a motorcycle
Riding on a motorboat
Listening to loud music using earbuds

These are just some of the leisure activities that can lead to hearing loss. If you’re wondering if something is too loud, it’s probably too loud, and you should be protecting your hearing.

Wearing Hearing Protection

One of the best things you can do for your hearing health is to wear hearing protection during loud work and leisure activities. Noise induced hearing loss is preventable! So make sure you do the right thing for your hearing, and use earplugs.

Whenever you’re in noise, make sure you’re wearing hearing protection. Foam or wax earplugs are a great option for moderately loud noise. These earplugs are lightweight and inexpensive so you can keep them in your bag or up a pair in your pocket before heading out for the day.

If you work in a noisy environment, earmuffs give you better hearing protection. These will keep your ears safe when you’re working around heavy machinery or other loud noise.

Do you want to hear soft sounds clearly, but block out loud sounds? Digital hearing protection is a great option. These comfortable ear plugs are made to fit your ears. They’ll analyze the sounds around you, block harmful sounds, and let you hear soft sounds normally. Find out more about hearing protection by contacting us today!