House Ear Institute Warns Against Dangers of Hearing Loss

All of that summer fun can have a negative impact on your hearing health according to the House Ear Institute (HEI). Were talking about damage to the inner ear that can lead to permanent hearing loss and once hearing is impaired it cant be fixed.

Summer Fun and Noise

Fourth of July. Mowing lawns. Windows rolled down with the radio blaring. These are what summer is all about, right? Yet most people dont realize how loud these sounds really are and the damage they may be doing over the course of the summer.

Exposure to noise damages the microscopic hair cells found in the inner ear, which play a critical role in our ability to hear, said Dr. Jose Fayad, House Ear Clinic associate. The damage can be from a brief but intense noise, but is most often caused by regular exposure to excessive sound over the course of several years.

How Long Is Too Long?

Sound volume is measured in decibels (dB). Normal conversation produces sound in the range of 60 to 70dB. No problem, here. Talk all you want.

A lawn mower kicks out 90dB or more. You have to shout to be heard at this noise level.

However, the number of dBs isnt the whole problem. The other half of damage to the ear is the length of time the inner workings of the ear are exposed to the loud noise.

House Ear Institute Hearing Health Tips

Listen up to what HEI suggests for keeping good hearing in tact.Monitor your exposure to loud noise. You can listen safely at 85dB for up to eight hours. However, when you crank it up to 100dBs, you start to experience ear damage in just 15 minutes. Take 15-minute quiet breaks.

Stay out of noisy environments. If you have to shout to be heard, its too loud. Avoid potentially harmful environments.

When you cant escape loud environments, wear ear protection. If you spend three hours every weekend mowing the lawn, youre exposed to 90dBs of sound for three hours! Every weekend.

Wear earplugs, earmuffs or ear cuffs. Look for a product with a noise reduction rating (NRR) of at least 9dBs. Better quality products have an NRR of 22dBs. The more you can reduce the noise, the better your hearing today and into the future.

Move away from the stage, off to one side. Summer concerts are as popular as baseball games. Audience members, move back and to one side when the band strikes up Star and Stripes Forever.

If you notice or suspect hearing loss, make an appointment for a hearing screen. Have your hearing tested by a licensed hearing healthcare provider.Regardless of how you spend the summer months, remember your ears.

Loudness + length of listening time = hearing loss.

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