How Do I Prevent Hearing Loss from Loud Noise?

Posted by Shruti Hearing Care Center on December 21st, 2020

 

 

If You Need to Shout…the Sound is Too Loud

Even without a device to measure sound, you can typically tell if the noise around you is too loud. If you or others need to shout in order to be heard or cannot understand each other even at arm’s length away, the sound is too loud and may damage your hearing over time.

5 Ways to Protect Your Hearing

Turn the volume down.

Walk away from the loud noise.

Take breaks from the noise.

Avoid loud, noisy activities and places.

Use hearing protection.

What about During Pregnancy and for Infants and Children?

For more information about pregnancy and noise at work, visit CDC’s Reproductive Health and the Workplace webpage.

For more information about hearing loss in children, visit

CDC: Facts about Hearing Loss

NIH: Noise-Induced Hearing LossExternal

During pregnancy, use the same precautions specified above for at home and public events. Also try to avoid your body touching the source of the noise (i.e., vibration).

For children and infants, also use the same precautions specified above. And keep children away from high noise levels, such as from very loud toys.

Use Hearing Protection

The best way to protect your hearing from noise is to avoid noisy activities. When you can’t avoid loud noise, use hearing protection. Hearing protection devices reduce the level of sound entering your ear. They do not block out sound completely. Hearing protection that does not fit properly will not protect your hearing.

Look for Noise Reduction Ratings

Hearing protection devices come with different noise reduction ratings. The noise reduction rating is usually labeled on the device container (it may say “NRR”) and it indicates the amount of potential protection the device provides.

More about Noise Reduction

Noise reduction ratings are measured in decibels (dB). Most hearing protection devices have ratings that range from 0 dB to 35 dB. A noise reduction rating is a “best case” rating measured in a laboratory; the actual sound reduction provided by the protector may be much less. It is best to choose a hearing protector that is comfortable and convenient, and that you are willing to wear consistently when exposed to noise. If you want to know exactly how much noise reduction you are getting, you can have the device “fit-tested” by a hearing professional.

Choose the Right Hearing Protection

The choice of hearing protection device depends on your personal preferences of comfort and where you will wear it. How well the protection works depends on whether you wear it consistently and correctly. The most common types of hearing protection devices include earplugs, earmuffs, and specially made devices.

earplug

Insert-Type Earplugs

These devices provide an air-tight seal in the ear canal. They are generally cheap, effective, and easy to use. They can be any of the following types:

Pre-molded (pliable devices of fixed proportions)

Formable (usually made of expandable foam)

Custom-molded (to fit precisely the size and shape of an individual’s ear canal)

Canal caps (earplugs on a flexible plastic or metal band) (During quiet times, when not needed, you can leave the canal caps hanging around your neck so they will be easy to find when needed.)

For more information about insert-type earplugs, visit CDC’s “How to Wear Soft Foam Earplugs” web page.

earmuffs

Earmuffs

Earmuffs come in many models designed to fit most people. They block out noise by completely covering the outer ear. Some earmuffs also include electronic parts to help users communicate or to block sound impulses or background noise. However, earmuffs might not work as well for people with heavy beards, sideburns, or glasses (which can create gaps between the earmuff cushion and your skull).

Note: Wearing both earmuffs and earplugs can reduce the sound further. However, the noise reduction ratings for the two do not add together.

Specially Made Devices

You can also get specially made hearing protection devices. They can be styled and sized specifically for a person’s individual ear. They can also have special features:

Custom earplugs molded to fit your ear exactly.

Earmuffs with built-in radios or communication devices that allow you to listen at a safe level while still protecting you from the loud noise outside (such as at sporting events).

“Level-dependent” hearing protectors (such as earmuffs) that do not block sound when the environment is quiet, but block loud sounds. These can be very useful for hunters.

Lightweight active noise cancellation headphones for reducing low-frequency noise (for example, in airplane cabins). Noise cancelling devices work best for low-pitched droning sounds, such as from car and airplane engines and air conditioners. (These devices do not have a noise reduction rating.)

Uniform-attenuation earplugs for musicians and concert attendees. These devices act just like turning down the volume on a stereo (in other words, the sound intensity is decreased).

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Shruti Hearing Care Center

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Shruti Hearing Care Center
Joined: December 19th, 2020
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