Hearing loss: it’s no joke.
According to the Canadian Hearing Society, about one in every four adult Canadians reports some level of hearing loss, making it the third most prevalent chronic condition in older age. A growing body of research shows that hearing loss among young people is also on the rise. Children are increasingly exposed to noise through technologies consumed via ear buds and headphones. And for children and adults alike, the volume is often cranked up to drown out the steady hum of an already riotous environment. Finding some real quiet time in a typical day can be a rarity.
What causes hearing loss?
The equation is simple but hard to avoid: hearing damage can happen with exposure to loud sounds over time. It’s cumulative, so the louder and more frequent, the more dangerous.
Noise: how loud is too loud?
So how loud is too loud? Experts at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre say around 85 decibels. To put that into context, normal conversation comes in around 60 decibels, a lawn mover around 90 decibels and a car horn and rock concert tip in around 110 decibels. If you’ve ever been to a loud event that’s left your ears ringing – a condition called tinnitus – that’s a sign that some irreversible damage has been done to the sensory receptors in your inner ear. Do that over and over and the damage accumulates and cannot be restored, even if you don’t notice the ringing.
Injury & medical conditions
Noise isn’t the only thing that can damage your hearing. Trauma and injury are obvious culprits. But even cotton swabs can injure or rupture your eardrum and shouldn’t be used.
Various chronic diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes can impede proper blood flow to parts of the ear, disrupting proper hearing. These are conditions that aren’t normally connected with the ear, but it’s something to watch out for.
Various tumors — usually benign but occasionally malignant — may also be to blame, and so can an abundance of earwax buildup. Make sure you have any hearing disruption checked out by a doctor.
Medications
The use of certain medications, including certain antibiotics and cancer drugs, can also cause hearing damage. Long-term use of common medications, including acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, can boost the risk of hearing loss, so make sure you talk to your doctor or pharmacist and monitor any side effects while taking various drugs.
Everyday hearing health tips
In life generally, here are some good tips to keep in mind:
- Limit your use of headphones and ear buds, and when you are using them, keep volumes low. As a rule of thumb, you should still be able to hear noises and voices around you.
- Pay attention to your environment and where you can possibly cut noise levels down, like music in the car.
- If you do find yourself in a noisy environment, earplugs can significantly reduce the risk of harm.
- When it comes to those noisy children’s toys, choose those with volume control. Not only will this protect a child’s hearing, but the parent’s sanity as well.
