The Real Cost of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), four million workers go to work each day and are exposed to damaging noise. Ten million people in the United States have a noise-related hearing loss. This is how dangerous and rampant noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is.
What is NIHL?
In our everyday lives, we experience different sounds around us. There’s the sound of the television or the machine you are operating, of the traffic going to and from work. These are sounds that may be on a safe level. But if these sounds are too loud, even for a brief period of time, it can bring harmful effects to the person exposed to the noise. These destructive sound can produce damage to the sensitive structures of the inner ear and can, therefore, cause noise-induced hearing loss.
Noise-induced hearing loss can be felt immediately. It can also take a long time before it can be noticeable. It can be temporary or permanent and can happen to one or both ears.You may not be able to tell if you have hearing damage now, but there’s no telling the future.
What causes NIHL?
NIHL can be caused by a single exposure to intense sounds such as an explosion. It can also be caused by consistent or continuous exposure to loud sounds, such as the noise of a drill when working. The intensity of sound is measured in decibels (dB). According to MDHearingAid, anything over 85 decibels is too loud. The louder the volume, the less exposure time it can take before it potentially damages your hearing permanently.
Who is at Risk of NIHL?
Everyone is at risk of noise-induced hearing loss, regardless of age. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), 15 percent of Americans between the ages 20 and 69, approximately 23 million Americans, have hearing loss that might be traced back to being exposed to noise at work or leisure activities. There was also a survey conducted by the Center for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC) revealing that as much as 16 percent of teens ages twelve to nineteen reported different levels of hearing loss due to loud noise exposure.
The Good News
Noise-induced hearing loss is the only type of hearing loss that is completely preventable. Since this type of hearing loss is due to exposure to loud noise, it is important to protect your ears with proper measures and equipment. Some of these measures include awareness of what type of noises can cause potential damage to the ears. It is also important to wear ear plugs especially if you know you are going to be exposed to loud sound (going to concerts, parties, etc.). You can also pay it forward and spread awareness by telling your family, friends, and colleagues, about the hazards of prolonged exposure to noise and how grave hearing loss can affect the quality of a person’s life.
If you think you might have some hearing loss, or if you don’t notice anything but want to be sure, immediately have you hearing tested.
