Everyday Noises that Could Cause Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is one of the most common health concerns that affects Americans. One in three adults over 65 have hearing loss, and this number jumps to half of all adults over the age of 75! It’s time to start thinking seriously about what you can do to protect your hearing now and in the years to come. Did you know that some everyday sounds, like heavy traffic, garbage trucks or driving a motorbike, have the potential to damage your hearing after about an hour? If you’re at a rock concert, near a jet engine, or listen to sirens, firecrackers, or chainsaws, you may sustain permanent hearing damage after just a few minutes. Learn more about the everyday noises that could case hearing loss.

Noise Induced Hearing Loss

One of the most common causes of hearing damage in adults is noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). This is hearing loss caused by exposure to excessively loud sounds. Anything from jackhammers to gunshots to an evening in a bar can lead to noise induced hearing loss that will haunt you the rest of your life. NIHL can in take as little as one second, if you’re exposed to one really loud noise. Many people experience gradual NIHL, as you’re exposed to loud sounds day after day.

Sports Venues

With summer upon us, who doesn’t love catching a baseball game at the local stadium? Unfortunately, sports venues are notoriously loud and put your hearing at risk. From loud music to screaming fans and even fireworks, the three hours you spend cheering for your local team is causing more damage than you know. In fact, a stadium full of cheering fans is as loud as standing beside a jet engine! At this volume, damage is certain.

Music Concerts

Concert halls are also damaging to your hearing. With sound levels through the roof, that ringing in your ears as you walk back to your car is a clear sign that it’s far too loud. You’ll experience temporary hearing loss or even tinnitus, but that’s not the end of it. Temporary hearing loss is just a sign of something far worse, as the delicate cells in your inner ear sustain irreparable damage. All it takes is 15 minutes at a rock concert to have permanent hearing loss.

City Life

If you think hearing loss is only caused by obviously loud sounds, think again. Daily city life chips away at your hearing too. With honking during the daily commute, screeching subway brakes, the noisy construction site you have to drive by every day, and the music playing in your favorite cafe, these endless sounds create daily wear and tear on your hearing, never allowing your ears to rest, and leading to permanent hearing loss.

Earbuds

Have you thought about your everyday listening habits? On the bus to the office, at the gym, or walking the dog, every time you slip earbuds into your ears you’re putting your hearing at risk. When sounds around you get too loud, it’s tempting to reach for the volume and crank it up even more. The problem is that ear buds are able to blast excessively loud noises very closely to your fragile eardrum. If you’re listening with the volume on high, you’ll sustain hearing loss in just a few minutes! To safeguard your hearing, listen with the volume at no more than 60%, and take breaks to give your ears a rest.

Don’t Ignore Your Hearing Loss

Most adults start to notice warning signs of hearing loss in their 40s or 50s. From greater sensitivity to sounds to having trouble hearing your friends at the bar or missing the phone ringing, you’ve probably noticed you don’t hear as well as you used to. Ill-advisedly, many people choose to ignore these signs for years. On average, Americans wait five to seven years before seeking treatment for their hearing loss!

Do you think hearing loss is not affecting your life, or that it’s not that bad yet? Every day you delay seeking treatment, your hearing further deteriorates and can never be replaced. Hearing loss affects every part of your life, from your ability to play with your grandkids, spend quality time with your spouse, talk to your children on the phone, or enjoy taking your dog to the dog park.  

Don’t miss out on any more moments with your loved ones. If you have hearing loss, visit us at Orange County Physicians’ Hearing Services today for a hearing assessment and choose the hearing aid that fits your needs.