Noise Induced Hearing Loss - How To Protect One's Hearing From Excessive Noise?

Sound is what we hear when vibrations from the source travel through the air and reach our ears. On the contrary, noise is what we describe as ‘unwanted sound’. This unwanted noise is a major cause of hearing loss in children and adults alike.

Too much exposure to loud noises – busy streets, noisy workplaces, loud recreational events, and industrial factories – cause severe damage to the delicate ear nerves, leading to permanent sensorineural hearing loss.

What is Noise-induced Hearing Loss?

In order to understand the mechanism of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), one needs to understand how the normal process of hearing works.

Sound waves entering the outer ear and travelling through the ear canal, reaches the eardrum, which sends vibrations to the three ear ossicles – stapes, incus, and malleus. The ossicles intensify and transmit the sound through vibrations to the fluid within the cochlea. The fluids present within the cochlea then bends the small hair cell receptors and trigger electrical signals to the auditory nerves. The brain converts these signals into sounds we perceive.

When the sound is too loud to handle, the vibrations become larger and causes the fluid motion inside the cochlea to break. Once the cochlear hair cells are damaged, they are unable to activate signals to the brain, which eventually impedes hearing.

What causes NIHL? Who are at risk?

People working in mines, agricultural fields, construction sites, military force, and similar fields are usually at greater risk of Noise-induced Hearing Loss. This is because they are exposed to excessively loud noise throughout the day. Tractors, orchard sprayers, explosives – these produce noise beyond the normal limit, which is 20 – 2000 Hz.

Certain things we do for fun – listening to loud music for long with headphones on or earphones plugged in, going to rock concerts or similar events, shooting – can also cause Noise-induced Hearing Loss.

Warning Signs to Look Out For:

A single incidence of excessively loud noise has the potential of creating a sudden instance of NIHL. However, the damage progresses gradually in most cases and exhibits the following symptoms -

• Sounds become muffled or distorted
• You can hear people but are unable to understand what they are saying
• You are not able to understand or hear from a distance of 3 feet
• You have this constant urge to increase the volume of your Television or Music system

You may not be able to identify the warning signs initially, or you might be hoping that the symptoms will disappear on their own. Nevertheless, if you have ever encountered these signs, then you should get your ears checked by a specialist at the soonest.

How to Prevent NIHL from Getting Worse?

Noise-induced Hearing Loss is preventable. If you adopt a few precautionary measures, you should be able to protect your ears in noisy surroundings and continue listening to your favourite sounds.

• Wear Disposable Earplugs - These earplugs come in various sizes and can reduce the noise levels effectively by 15-30 decibels. Whether it is a live concert, a shooting game, or a usual working day in the factory, you can just plug in these to completely block the ear canals, thereby restricting loud noise from doing further damage to the ears. You will get these at a drug store, or you can get it custom-made to fit in your ears from a healthcare clinic.

• Wear Earmuffs - These cover the ears completely and seal noise from entering the ear canal. You can pair these with earplugs to reduce the noise levels further.

• Follow the 60/60 Rule - While listening to music on a personal audio device, make sure you do not exceed the volume beyond 60%. Also, ensure that you are not listening to loud music for more than an hour each day. If you are listening to songs on your Smartphone, set the volume cap at 60%.

• Choose Over-the-ear Headphones - In-ear headphones sit very close to the eardrums and are hence more dangerous than Over-the-ear headphones.

• Replace Old Noisy Machine Parts - This holds true for people working in factories and construction sites. Old machine parts produce more noise than the new ones. It is advisable that you replace rusty, noisy machine parts or at least lubricate them frequently to reduce friction and reduce noise.

Once you are aware of the hazards of noise, you should be mindful and take actions accordingly.