It’s very common for people to have hearing loss caused by continued subjection to loud noise. Your hearing can be permanently damaged if you spend a lot of time exposed to noise that is higher than 85 dB.
What is Noise-Related Hearing Loss?
There are little hair cells inside your inner ear which can be irreversibly harmed by loud noise. This is called sensorineural hearing loss.
A gradual deterioration of hearing, eventually bringing about permanent hearing loss, occurs when you are exposed to very loud noise for a long period of time. Immediate damage can also happen if you are subjected to a burst of extremely damaging noise all of a sudden.
Over 17 percent of people between the ages of 20 and 69 have hearing loss that is a result of their recreational or work activities. Here are a few examples of noises that can lead to hearing loss:
- Nearby fireworks
- Emergency Vehicles
- Jet engines
- Motorcycles
- Loud headphoness
- Chainsaws
- Jackhammers
- Busy Traffic
Is it Reversible?
There is presently no cure for noise-induced hearing loss (though scientists are hard at work on it). Some of the damage in your ear could be the result of inflammation so you should talk to a doctor if you’ve been subjected to sudden loud noise. If you could minimize the swelling you might be able to reduce some lasting damage. Sound waves are sent to the brain by the little hair cells in the ear. They never regenerate once they are ruined. Meaning that your ability to hear will be permanently affected. This is the reason why it is important that you take the necessary steps to protect your hearing, and if you are exposed to a loud noise, that you consult a specialist right away.
Approaching The Issue With Research
This condition is presently not curable. But restoring noise-induced hearing loss is top priority for scientists. There are clinical trials, for instance, that are trying to restore these hairs with an experimental drug. Age-induced hearing loss and loud noise can damage these hairs, but restoration would help restore hearing if scientists are able to get the drug to work.
Safeguard Your Remaining Hearing
While hearing loss that is caused by noise cannot be repaired (yet), you are able to take certain steps to avoid hearing loss or protect the remaining hearing that you have. You can:
- If there are places that always have loud noise – avoid them
- Whatever your hearing loss may be, hearing aids could be the solution
- When you’re at home, limit your exposure to excessively loud pursuits
- If you work in an industry that has consistently loud noise, use the appropriate hearing protection
- Get regular hearing tests
Keeping the volume down on your devices, using ear protection, and avoiding overly loud noise is the best way to safeguard your hearing. Schedule a hearing test if you have been exposed to loud noise.