Learn how to better protect your ears to avoid premature hearing loss

Hearing loss is one of the most common health problems in the U.S. Roughly 20 percent of the population, or about 48 million people, has some form of hearing loss, according to the Hearing Loss Association of America. Hearing loss can develop at any point in a person’s life, due to a variety of factors — aging, disease or even exposure to loud noises or sounds. 

“We live in a really loud world,” said K.K. Gross, who runs the clinical operations for Shea Hearing Aid Center in Memphis and Nashville. “And, so many times, there are things that we’re exposed to that can damage our hearing, and people are fairly oblivious to it.”

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) — which falls under the category of sensorineural hearing loss, or permanent damage affecting the inner ear’s tiny hairlike cells — is indeed more common than you might think. A 2011-2012 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study found that at least 10 million adults under the age of 70 have various degrees of NIHL.

Not all noise-induced hearing loss is created equal

Noise-induced hearing loss can happen after exposure to loud sounds found at places of employment (lawn equipment, heavy machinery), during live entertainment (concerts, monster trucks, sporting events, car races) or in everyday life (ambulance sirens, motorcycles, firearms discharging, car engines).

While there are some tell-tale signs of a noise-induced hearing injury —for example, Gross noted that “any time that you have ringing in your ears after exposure to noise, there is damage being done” — it’s often difficult to discern damage until it’s too late. It isn’t always easy to know when your ears have been compromised, but resources such as the website Dangerous Decibels have detailed information with exposure time guidelines.

As a good rule of thumb, normal conversation falls between 55 and 65 decibels (dBs), which is considered safe. However, sound measured at 85 dBs will damage hearing with prolonged exposure — at a level determined to be eight hours in a 24-hour period.

The potential for hearing damage escalates quickly. For every three-decibel increase in volume, the permissible time of exposure to unsafe sound levels decreases by half. Exposure to 100 dBs of sound for just 15 minutes, for example, can cause permanent hearing loss.

There are 3 easy ways to protect your hearing

Thankfully, there are multiple ways to protect your hearing. Start with turning down the volume on loud music or TV shows, and using ear protection if in a noisy environment.

“Using hearing protection is critical, even if it’s just fingers over your ears to stop the sound from coming in,” Gross said.

When used properly, foam earplugs, which can be bought at any drugstore and at many concert venues, are an inexpensive form of hearing protection. The Occupation Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) also offers guidelines and equipment recommendations for people whose jobs involve exposure to loud noises.

Going to a specialist and getting custom-molded ear protection is another great option for people looking for something even more robust.

“It’s assured to sit properly in their ear and it’s comfortable,” Gross said. "Depending on the person's needs, we can recommend the best protection for the sounds they're exposed to."

If neither of these things is an option, walking away from painful or overly loud sounds is crucial.  

“You just have to remove yourself if you can’t protect yourself,” Gross said. “The farther away you get from the source of the sound, the lower the decibel level is.

“Just move away — get away from the speaker, get away from any noise.”

Protecting hearing starts early in life

It’s a common misconception that hearing loss only affects older generations. In 2015, the World Health Organization reported that 1.1 billion people between the ages of 12 and 35 are at risk of developing hearing loss due to cell phones, audio devices, or noisy clubs and concert venues.

Other research has estimated that 17 percent of young people between the ages 12 to 19 are already starting to be affected by NIHL. The popularity of earbuds, which are commonly used to stream music on the go, is also worrisome to experts. Sound amplified through earbuds is closer to the eardrum, meaning it can be up to nine decibels louder inside the ear itself, Gross said.

Parents can be proactive about instilling smart listening habits in their kids. Both iPhone and Android phones have settings that allow volume limiting, while mobile apps such as Volume Sanity can give adults more control over phones.

Child-friendly headphones with volume-limiting settings are also a great option. For teens, turning down their music — or limiting earbuds use to one hour per 24-hour day, set at 60 percent of the volume — is another smart bet.

“Earbuds are the worst things you can use,” Gross said. “Headphones are better, because they typically block out the ambient noise, and the sound is not generated so close to your eardrum.”

Conclusion

Noise-induced hearing damage might not show up right away. “Even though the hearing loss might not be immediate, it is exacerbated as you age,” Gross explained.

In other words, people who were exposed to loud noises at a younger age will have more significant hearing loss later in life.

Protecting your hearing is one of the most important things people of any age can do — and it’s never too early to start following healthy hearing habits. If you’re looking for custom ear protection or other healthy hearing tips, the licensed hearing professionals at Shea Hearing Aid Center in Memphis and Nashville can offer tailored suggestions and support.