Protect Yourself Against Hearing Loss

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http://drbenkim.com/articles-decibel.html 

Protect Yourself Against Hearing Loss

By Dr. Ben Kim on March 26, 2009 Health Warnings

Updated on March 26, 2009 

It's estimated that 10 million Americans suffer with noise-induced hearing loss.

In fact, noise is one of the most common occupational hazards today, with as

many as 30 million Americans being exposed to harmful noise levels at work.

We register sound through little hairs that vibrate in our inner ears in

response to different noises. When these hairs are exposed to a sudden burst of

very loud noise or to a steady stream of fairly loud noise, they can get

damaged, resulting in hearing loss.

Sound pressure is measured in decibels (dB). Here are some everyday sounds and

their average decibel rankings:

Sound

Decibels (db)

Very faint, rustling leaves

5

Whisper

20

Rainfall

50

Typical speech

60

Washing machine

75

Busy city traffic

85

Hair dryer

90

Leaf blower, rock concert, chainsaw

110

Ambulance, jack hammer

120

Jet plane from 100 feet

130

Fireworks, gunshot

140

12-gauge shotgun

165

How loud is too loud?

Steady exposure to noise that reaches 85 dB can produce hearing loss. A one-time

exposure to very loud noises like a gunshot at 140 dB can also cause hearing

loss. Listening to a discman or mp3 player at a standard volume level of 5 for

15 minutes a day is enough to cause permanent damage.

Since it's not practical to walk around with a meter that allows you to measure

dB, a good rule of thumb is that if you have to raise your voice in order to be

heard by a person who is a couple of feet away, the noise level is considered

hazardous.

Another practical measure is to carefully observe for ringing in your ears or if

sounds feel flat or dull after leaving a noisy environment. If either of these

conditions are present, you were probably exposed to a hazardous level of noise.

If you are exposed to potentially harmful noises at work or home, I recommend

that you strongly consider using expandable or pre-molded earplugs. You can find

them at almost any pharmacy.

An alternative is to use earmuffs, although they might not provide the same

level of protection as earplugs that sit snug in your external ear canal.

If you have children who like to listen to music on their mp3 players or in

their cars, please share this article with them so that they're aware of how

their choices today may affect them in the future.

For more information about noise-induced hearing loss and what you can do to

prevent it, please visit the website for the National Institute for Occupational

Safety and Health.

Muhammad Ahmad Al-Masry

64, Muhammad Korayem Street,

Gomrok, andria, Egypt

Tel: 0020-03-4800555

Fax: 0020-03-3082667

Web: massrii@...

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