What is Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?

Noise-induced hearing loss occurs when you’re exposed to sounds that damage the inner ear. This type of hearing loss can develop at any age, depending on when excessive noise causes harm to the sensitive structures within the ear. Due to this, it’s important to take preventative measures to protect your ears and prevent noise-induced hearing loss from occurring.

How does noise-induced hearing loss develop?

In most instances, noise-induced hearing loss occurs in one of two ways. Firstly, you can experience this type of hearing loss if you are exposed to a particularly loud sound, even if it’s only once. The louder the sound is, the less time it takes to damage your inner ear, which leads to noise-induced hearing loss.

The CDC estimates that hearing loss can occur in less than two minutes when you’re exposed to sounds above 110 decibels. This means that loud shouting in your ear, firecrackers, sirens, explosions and even being inside a loud indoor venue could all cause immediate hearing loss.

Secondly, noise-induced hearing loss can occur when you’re exposed to relatively loud sounds over a longer period of time. For sounds around 80-85 decibels, hearing loss can occur after just two hours of exposure, while hearing loss can occur after just 15 minutes of exposure to sounds at 100 decibels. A motorcycle typically produces noise at approx. Ninety-five decibels and a car horn is around 100 decibels. This shows just how easy it is to experience noise-induced hearing loss in a standard day-to-day environment.

Can noise-induced hearing loss be prevented?

Yes. This is one type of hearing loss that can certainly be prevented. Reducing your exposure to loud noise drastically reduces the chances of developing noise-induced hearing loss. Lowering the volume when using headphones, using a sound level meter to measure noise and distancing yourself from noise-producing machinery or equipment can be effective ways to avoid this type of hearing loss.

However, wearing ear protection is also advisable. It isn’t always possible to reduce noise levels in certain environments but using ear protection can prevent damage from occurring. Ear defenders or earplugs are a comfortable and straightforward way to ensure you don’t experience noise-induced hearing loss. 

Using the right hearing protection

Although you can purchase standard, off-the-shelf earplugs and defenders, these may not provide an appropriate level of protection. If you want to be sure that you’re adequately protecting your hearing, it’s a good idea to consult an audiologist. With custom-made earplugs, you can access the level of hearing protection you need and ensure your earplugs are perfectly fitted to the natural contours of your ear.

Furthermore, your audiologist can carry out a simple hearing test to determine whether you’re already experiencing noise-induced hearing loss. If so, your hearing function can be enhanced with the use of hearing aids or alternative devices.

Currently, there is no cure for noise-induced hearing loss, but it is something that can be prevented. By being proactive and prioritizing your hearing, using the right ear protection can stop you from developing noise-induced hearing loss and related issues.