If you’ve ever been to a concert or loud movie theater and experienced muted or dampened sounds afterward, you’ve been exposed to high noise pressure and might have damaged your hearing, either temporarily or permanently. This article will help you learn about the causes of hearing damage and how to prevent hearing damage.
What are the causes of hearing damage?
Below are some common causes of hearing damage:
You were exposed to too much noise pressure, or decibels, all at once
Hearing damage of this variety usually requires exposure to a large number of decibels. This can happen by being too close to a nearby explosion, being an air traffic controller right next to a plane on takeoff without hearing protection, or being too close to very loud, sudden sounds.
This type of hearing damage happens suddenly and immediately. You can see this sort of hearing damage represented on TV when a gunshot goes off too close to someone’s unprotected ears and causes them to have temporary deafness and ringing in the ears due to riding. Unfortunately, hearing damage of this type can also be permanent. In many cases, digital hearing aids that are rechargeable have settings that can be programmed to best help an individual’s unique type and severity of hearing loss.
You have a career or hobby that exposes you to a large number of decibels over time
Hearing damage of this variety usually occurs over the course of a lifetime. This hearing damage occurs in musicians, those who work with heavy machinery, and those who perform in marching bands. This hearing usually damages your hearing tissue or cilia.
Cilia are hair-like structures in your ears that capture sound and transmit it to the brain. When your cilia die, it does not regenerate, meaning that once all of your cilia are dead, you will experience total deafness.
What are the ways to prevent hearing damage?
Earmuffs
Heavy-duty, industrial-strength earmuffs are usually used by hunters and other sports professionals to dampen the sound of their gunshots. This hearing protection is not needed in everyday life, though it is useful if you use rifles on a semiregular basis.
Earplugs
The most common hearing protection is earplugs, and the best earplugs will drown out the most sound, while also enabling sounds to be heard around you. Some earplugs will use active noise cancellation, but the best earplugs will use passive noise cancellation.
Some earplugs will be bought over the counter. However, the best motorcycle ear plugs are made to fit your ears. Some hearing protection comes in hard materials, but the best earplugs leave you with no irritation and feel as if they are not in your ears and do not slide around.
If you have a job or hobby where you are constantly exposed to a large number of decibels, you need earplugs. You also need to find the best earplugs for you. Remember that hearing damage is permanent, so not buying the best earplugs is a health mistake you don’t want to make.
