Noise Induced Hearing Loss - Prevention And Treatment

Hearing loss is something that can be incredibly difficult to deal with. If the people around you are unaware that you have a hearing loss, it can make it more difficult to communicate and has the power to affect every part of your life. Noise induced hearing loss is no different.

Causes of Noise Induced Hearing Loss

Noise induced hearing loss is caused by exposure to harmful levels of sound. It can either be noises that are too loud, too close or experienced for extended. In noise induced hearing loss, the damage takes place in the inner ear where there are sensitive structures that convert noise into signals that travel to the brain to decipher what you hear. Common places that noise induced hearing loss occurs would be factories or workshops where staff are exposed to high levels of noise for extended periods of time or being exposed to the noise of an explosion, fireworks or a loud motor bike, for example.

Exposure to loud noises, over 120-150 decibels, damages the hair cells in the inner ear and can cause ringing in the ears, tinnitus, as well as immediate hearing loss. Noise induced hearing loss can be temporary, lasting about 16 to 48 hours or it can be permanent. Noise induced hearing loss can occur gradually if it is related to exposure to loud noise over a long period of time. Given that a normal conversation is approximately 60 decibels, anything double that is likely to cause damage. Extensive exposure to loud noise while your ears are unprotected can cause pain in the ears as well as damage to the fine hairs in the inner ear. Once these hairs are damaged, the problem is irreversible.

Prevention of Noise Induced Hearing Loss

Noise induced hearing loss can be prevented with the use of ear muffs or ear plugs. Factories and workshops usually provide these for employees but if the exposure to sound isn’t occurring at a place of employment, most pharmacies sell ear plugs that can be worn anywhere excessive noise is going to be experienced.

Noise induced hearing loss can be experienced by anyone who has been or is being exposed to loud noise. It can be detected by the sound of speech or other sounds becoming muffled or distorted. The extent of the hearing loss can be discovered with the use of a hearing test.

Understanding that noise induced hearing loss is preventable helps. It can be prevented simply by avoiding situations where you could be exposed to noise over 85 decibels. Wearing ear plugs or some type of noise protection for your ears will assist in minimizing the chance of damaging your ears. Wearing ear plugs at a rock concert, for example, may not be cool, but will protect your hearing from noise induced hearing loss.

The first step if you feel that you have noise induced hearing loss is to go and have a hearing test. If the noise induced hearing loss is permanent and extensive, the use of hearing aids may be required.