NOISE- INDUCED HEARING LOSS (NIHL)
Every day, we experience sound in our environment, such as the sounds from television and radio, household appliances, and traffic. Normally, these sounds are at safe levels that don’t damage our hearing. But sounds can be harmful when they are too loud, even for a brief time, or when they are both loud and long-lasting. These sounds can damage sensitive structures in the inner ear and cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).
NIHL can be immediate or it can take a long time to be noticeable. It can be temporary or permanent, and it can affect one ear or both ears. Even if you can’t tell that you are damaging your hearing, you could have trouble hearing in the future, such as not being able to understand other people when they talk, especially on the phone or in a noisy room. Regardless of how it might affect you, one thing is certain: noise-induced hearing loss is something you can prevent.
CAUSES:
Hearing loss caused by noise can occur in people of any age. It may happen suddenly or gradually. How soon it happens depends on the source and intensity of the noise.
Whether a noise is harmful depends on how loud it is and how long you're around it.
Noise can affect hearing in several ways.
Hearing loss caused by noise can occur in people of any age. It may happen suddenly or gradually. How soon it happens depends on the source and intensity of the noise.
Whether a noise is harmful depends on how loud it is and how long you're around it.
Noise can affect hearing in several ways.
- On-the-job (occupational) noise is one of the most common sources of harmful noise. That's mainly because you are around it all day for years. For instance, if you work in construction or in a factory, or you are in the military, you may be around harmful noise for several hours each day.
- A sudden, extremely loud sound, such as an explosion, a gunshot, or a firecracker close to the ear, can damage any of the structures in the ear. When this happens, it can cause immediate, severe, and often permanent hearing loss. This type of injury often requires medical attention right away.
- Loud sounds (like a rock concert) can cause a temporary ringing and hearing loss. Sounds may also seem muffled. These effects usually don't last more than a few hours. But they may sometimes last several days or weeks.
- Repeated, frequent exposure to loud or moderately loud sounds over a long period of time (often years) can cause permanent hearing loss. But this kind of hearing loss can almost always be prevented.
- High-volume music.
- The noise of power tools, like chainsaws or electric drills.
- The noise from lawn mowers, household appliances (such as blenders and vacuum cleaners), and vehicles (such as snowmobiles and motorcycles)
