How Hearing Loss Happens
Decibel danger chart from dangerousdecibels.org
Sound is a beautiful thing. Too much sound is dangerous. Though you may not notice it right away, it doesn’t take much to cause permanent damage to your hearing.
According to dangerousdecibles.org, sounds at or above 85 decibels can permanently hurt your hearing. For reference, 85 decibels is the approximate sound level of traffic in a large city. Fortunately, at that sound level, you’d have to be exposed to the traffic sounds for roughly 8 hours in order to be permanently affected by the sound. Hair dryers and lawn mowers, however, may damage your hearing in as few as two hours of exposure. dangerousdecible.org gives some clarity as to why this is. In their article, “Dangerous Decibel Guidelines: How Loud is Too Loud?” they state,
“For every 3 dBAs over 85dBA, the permissible exposure time before possible damage can occur is cut in half.” That means that, without hearing protection, you could only run your 115 decibel chainsaw for 30 seconds at a time without causing permanent damage to your hearing.
Healing Your Hearing
If it’s broken, it’s time to fix it. Waiting only leads to increasing frustration as conversations become difficult and relationships develop into a source of stress rather than joy. If you think you’ve experienced any amount of hearing loss, it’s important to visit an audiologist who can asses the extent of your hearing loss and the range of potential solutions. At Elkhart Audiology Rehab, we’re able to provide thorough testing. Then, we can offer you the best, customizable hearing aids that are available on the market. These small, powerful hearing aids can be adjusted to pick up the sounds you miss so you get back to living life the way you always have, with the sound on.
What’s The Volume of Your Life?
Meet our sound-measuring mannequin, Ida Heard!
Ever wonder how loud your speaking voice is? What about the music that comes through your headphones? How many noises in your life are over that 85 decibel mark? If you’re curious or concerned, set up an appointment to meet Ida Heard! Ida is our in-house volume-testing mannequin that can show you exactly how harmful the sounds are in your life. It’s a fun form of education, and it will help you reduce damage to your hearing.
Call us at 574-262-3277 or contact us here to set up an appointment for a hearing evaluation, or to meet Ida! We can’t wait to help you find the solution that brings your life back to normal.
