What happens when we’re too connected to our phones?
Almost everyone experiences some hearing loss as they age, but most of us don't realize that some day-to-day activities could be further damaging our hearing. Loud noise destroys the tiny hair cells in our inner ear, and they don't regenerate. The louder the sound, the quicker it damages your hearing. Indeed, a loud sound, like a firecracker, can cause immediate hearing impairment, but repeated exposure to moderately loud sounds can also cause hearing loss.
And while some hearing loss can be inevitable as we age, there's a lot you can do to reduce the damage to your ears. Want to find out more? Then check out the following gallery. Click on!
At about 80 to 100 decibels, the classic vroom sound of a motorcycle engine can damage your hearing over time.
Watching the latest action flick could leave your ears a bit damaged. Noise levels at a movie theater range between 74 and 104 decibels.
Many devices have a maximum volume of 110 decibels, a level that can harm your hearing in just five minutes. Also, using earbuds is especially dangerous because the sound energy goes directly into your ear canal.
Noise levels at sports events can reach dangerous levels, even when at an outdoor venue. Noise levels can hit up to anywhere from 94 to 110 decibels.
You might want to plug your ears when you hear sirens. They can produce sounds between 110 and 129 decibels.
This one might not surprise you. But just like sporting events, concerts are also pretty noisy, with sounds ranging from 94 to 110 decibels.
If you're often caught in city traffic, beware: heavy traffic noise can range from 80 to 90 decibels, which can cause hearing damage.
Hunting or target shooting can cause serious damage to your ears. Ranging from 140 to 175 decibels, one single gunshot blast is so loud that it can cause lasting hearing loss or tinnitus.
The visual that make fireworks might be spectacular, but the noise is dangerous and can reach 140 to 160 decibels.
Lawn mowers typically register at 80 to 85 decibels, while leaf blowers and snow blowers can be as loud as 100 decibels.
If you enjoy woodworking and other kinds of home renovation projects, beware that power tools can cause hearing damage. Typical tools used can reach 90 to 112 decibels.
Fitness trainers in group exercise classes often turn up the volume to levels that can hurt your hearing, especially if it's in a small indoor space.
Some chemotherapy drugs and the antibiotic gentamicin can cause inner ear damage. Even high doses of aspirin, pain relievers, loop diuretics, or antimalarial drugs can affect your hearing temporarily.
Certain illnesses can damage your hearing. For example, if you have a high fever from an illness like meningitis, you may be at risk for cochlear damage.
You could be at risk for hearing loss if loud noise is part of your job. This is especially common if working in a factory, construction, or farming.
Now that you're aware of common events that trigger hearing loss, how can you prevent it? Check out the next slides for some useful tips.
Do you know when it's too loud? If you have to shout over the surrounding noise, it's loud enough to damage your hearing.
Next time you need to buy appliances and devices, make sure that they have low noise ratings. You'll see what a huge difference it makes in your day-to-day life.
You can't always avoid an ambulance siren or the busy city traffic. But it's worth limiting the amount of time you're around them. Noise-induced hearing loss comes from the loudness of sounds and how long you hear them.
If you know you're going to be around loud sounds for more than a few minutes, consider wearing hearing protection.
Earplugs are usually made of foam or rubber. They go in your ear canal and can reduce noise by 15 to 30 decibels.
Earmuffs fit completely over your ears and reduce sounds also by about 15 to 30 decibels. You can also wear earplugs and earmuffs together for even greater protection.
Turn down the volume of your devices. Even a small reduction in volume can make a big difference to the risk of damage to your hearing.
A buildup of wax in your ears can muffle sound. However, don't use a cotton swab, as it can push wax deeper in. Instead, use an at-home irrigation kit to soften wax and gently wash it out. If it gets compacted, your doctor may need to remove it.
To enjoy music from your device safely, listen to your music at 60% of the maximum volume for no more than 60 minutes a day.
If you've been exposed to loud noise, give your ears time to recover. Experts say you need at least 16 hours of rest for your ears to recover after spending around two hours in 100 decibels sound.
Here's an interesting fact: research shows that tobacco can make you more likely to lose your hearing. That's another great reason to quit!
Make sure to have your hearing tested if you have close relatives with hearing loss or if you think you might have an issue. Consider also getting tested if you've never done it before.
Sources: (CDC) (Keck Medicine of USC) (Healthily)
Things that are damaging your hearing
And how you can protect your ears
HEALTH Ears
Almost everyone experiences some hearing loss as they age, but most of us don't realize that some day-to-day activities could be further damaging our hearing. Loud noise destroys the tiny hair cells in our inner ear, and they don't regenerate. The louder the sound, the quicker it damages your hearing. Indeed, a loud sound, like a firecracker, can cause immediate hearing impairment, but repeated exposure to moderately loud sounds can also cause hearing loss.
And while some hearing loss can be inevitable as we age, there's a lot you can do to reduce the damage to your ears. Want to find out more? Then check out the following gallery. Click on!