Hearing loss is often associated with the elderly but Tally Sherban, who is an executive at a hearing aid manufacturer, says teenagers can also develop hearing loss.
“Noise-induced hearing loss is the only kind of hearing loss we can prevent and according to research, one in four teenagers are at risk of developing hearing loss at an earlier age because of it.”
She explained that sound plays a vital role in the lives of teenagers as they live in a world that embraces the enjoyment of sound in all its various shapes and forms that range from listening to music on their smartphones to live entertainment events such as concerts and clubs.
“Noise-induced hearing loss happens when excessive noise damages some of the hearing mechanisms in the inner ear. It’s not just the mega sounds such as a gunshot that does the damage, but repeated exposure to loud sounds will do the same.”
Sherban added what damages our hearing is the intensity and duration of sound. “Sound is measured in decibels (dB) where 0 dB is the faintest sound a human ear can detect and 180 dB would be the noise a rocket makes as it launches. In our everyday lives a normal conversation would be at 60 dB level and a lawn mower would be 90 dB and a rock concert will be at 115 dB. Research proves that prolonged exposure to more than 85 dB will result in permanent damage to hearing.”
She continued, “Personal Listening Devices (PLD) have never been a more integral part of our lives with earphones plugged into many people’s ears while they jog, commute or drive. MP3 players often shoot sound levels from 91 dB to 139 dB straight into both ears. They do even more damage because the small earpieces sit directly in the ears.
“Being able to tune in to your favourite music anytime and anywhere is convenient and fun but the price of listening to high dB music day after day, can be very high. The simplest way to start protecting your hearing is by limiting the amount of time you expose your ears to loud noise,” concluded Sherban.
