Your Hearing

Can noise really hurt my ears?
Yes, noise can be dangerous. If it is loud enough and/or lasts long enough, it can damage your hearing. The damage caused by noise, called sensor neural haring loss or nerve loss can be caused by several factors other than noise. But, noise induced hearing loss is different in one important way - it can be reduced or prevented altogether.

Can I 'toughen up' my ears?
NO. If you think you have grown used to loud sound, it probably has damaged your ears and there is no treatment, not even a hearing aid truly corrects your hearing once it is damaged.

Does exposure time have anything to do with it?
Yes. The longer you are exposed to a loud noise, the more damaging it may be. Also, the closer you are to the source of intense noise, the more damaging it is.

Can noise affect more than my hearing?
A ringing in the ears, called tinnitus, commonly occurs after noise exposure and often becomes permanent.

What does frequency have to do with hearing loss?
When hearing impairment begins, the high frequencies are often lost first. Loss of high frequency hearing also distorts sound. Hearing impaired people often have difficulty detecting differences between certain words that sound alike, especially words that contain S, F, T, K, P sounds, because the spectrum of these consonants comprise a much higher frequency range than vowels and other consonants.

What about decibels?
A noise level above 120 dB can be painful. Obviously, noise at this level can cause damage to your hearing. But more importantly, noise levels between 80-120 dB can 'painlessly' cause hearing damage - damage that you may not be aware of at the time, but can be causing permanent damage to your inner ear.

What if my hearing is already damaged? How can I tell?
Hearing loss usually develops over a period of several years. Since it is painless and gradual, you may not notice it. What you might notice is a ringing or whistling sound in your ears, (called tinnitus), which could be the result of long-term exposure to noise that has damaged the hearing nerve. You may have trouble understanding what people say; they may seem to be mumbling, especially when you are in a noisy place such as in a crowd or at a party.

This could mean the beginning of high-frequency hearing loss; a hearing test will detect it. But you may as well have nothing more serious than impacted wax or an ear infection, which can be simply corrected. However, it might be hearing loss from noise. In any case, take no chances, the hearing loss noise causes is permanent.

If you suspect hearing loss, consult a physician. This doctor can diagnose your hearing problem and recommend the best way to manage it.

Where can I find out more information?
You can visit The Government's Health and Safety website: http://www.hse.gov.uk
or email the websites manager at jayne.thomas@hse.gsi.gov.uk