Noise Induced Hearing Loss
According to the World Health Organization’s Report on Hearing…
Source: Center for Disease Control & Prevention
Noise is acknowledged as an important public health issue and a top environmental risk faced by the world today.
Over 50% of people aged 12–35 years listen to music via personal audio devices at volumes that pose a risk to their hearing. A rule of thumb for staying safe is to keep the volume below 60%.
If you frequently use personal audio devices around loud sounds, consider using noise cancelling earphones or headphones instead of turning the volume up.
Listening through personal audio devices should not exceed 80 dB (adults) or 75 dB for sensitive users (e.g., children).
Listeners who regularly use portable audio devices can expose themselves to the same level of sound in 15 minutes of music at 100 dB that an industrial worker would receive in an 8-hour day at 85 dB.
Damage received from excessive noise can amplify
the effects of hearing loss caused by aging
Hearing Loss
To understand noise and its effect on health and welfare, one must understand certain fundamentals of sound and our responses to those sounds.
The average person is born with about 16,000 hair cells within their inner ear, allowing the brain to detect sounds.
As loud sounds enter the ear, the ear works harder.
The intense vibrations from excessive noise cause permanent damage to the sensory hairs within the cochlea.
As the hairs are damaged or destroyed, a person's ability to hear is lessened, and can eventually cause deafness.
Noise Pollution
Noise pollution becomes an increasingly larger problem as harmful noise escalates in both industry and entertainment.
Once noise pollution has done its damage by causing hearing loss, there is no reversal process.
All that can be done is to compensate by using a hearing aid or other assistive listening device.
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