Hearing Damage Causes And Risks: People Who Live In Cities At Increased Risk For Hearing Loss
City life is taking a toll on your hearing, according to a recent study published in The Lancet. People who live in noisy cities have an increased risk of hearing loss by 64 percent, reports MedicalXpress. Many of these ear-damaging environmental noises go unnoticed as a part of our daily lives.
Read: Hearing Loss? Problems May Spring From Brain's Inability To Filter Out Noise, Not Just From Ears
Measured in decibels, sounds vary from complete silence, ranked at a zero, to harmful, which is anything above 85 dB, according to WebMd. There’s also negative decibels, too, as absolute silence comes in at -9, writes MedicalXpresss. Complete silence is the quietest noise that someone with healthy ears can hear.
Wondering how much damage your ears are enduring? Here are some common sounds, along with their dB rating rounded up by WebMd and MedicalXpress:
Soft music, whispering - 30 dB
Home noises, 40 dB
Chatting and background music, 60 dB
Noise inside a car driving 60 mph, 70 dB
Vacuum cleaner and average radio noise, 75 dB
Heavy traffic, noisy restaurant, window air conditioning unit, 80-89 dB
Subway noise and shouting, 90-95 dB
Personal music device, 100 dB
Concert, 120-129 dB
Sirens 100 feet away, 140 dB
As the dB score gets higher, the less time you should spend listening to that sound. For loud events like concerts, many recommend wearing earplugs to reduce damage.
Read: Life After Hearing Loss: How The Brain Adjusts To Sensory Impairments, No Matter How Minor
Before you get worried about attending your favorite band’s next show, WebMd advises that hearing loss is due to repeated exposure over a long time, not just a few instances. To get tested for hearing loss, a trip to an audiologist is typically required, reports MedicalXpress. There, your hearing will be measured by testing the quietest sound you’re able to hear in a soundproof room.
Those suffering from hearing loss do have treatment options including hearing aids and cochlear implants (for severe hearing loss).
See Also:
8 Jobs That Cause Hearing Loss, And How To Protect Yourself Before Damage Starts
