Loud noises can damage your ears and cause partial or permanent hearing loss.
For this reason, in this post, we explain the impact of loud sounds on your ears and some of the activities that can affect this sense when adequate security measures are not taken before doing any activity with them, whether at home or work.
Activities in common environments that can damage hearing
Some activities that can damage your ears include:
- Listening to loud music (above 85 decibels) for an extended period of time.
- Working with noisy machinery, such as bulldozers, chainsaws, or drills.
- Attending concerts or sporting events with high sound power.
- Shooting firearms without ear protection.
- Using cotton swabs to clean the ears can push the wax into the eardrum and cause injury.
When we are exposed to loud noise, intense sound waves can damage the structures of the inner ear, including the hair cells.
These cells are responsible for converting sound vibrations into electrical signals that our brain interprets as sound. When hair cells are damaged, partial or permanent hearing loss occurs.
How to reduce the risk of personal hearing damage?
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the most common causes of hearing loss in the world. It is estimated that 1 in 5 people in the world have NIHL, according to medical specialists in the area.
NIHL can be irreversible, so it’s important to take steps to prevent it. Here are some tips to protect your ears from loud noises:
- Wear ear protectors when exposed to loud noise.
- Limit the time you spend in noisy environments.
- Take regular exposure breaks if you are in loud noise for extended periods.
- Don’t use cotton swabs to clean your ears.
- If you experience hearing loss, seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
By taking these measures, the sense of hearing will be better protected and healthy, we will be more aware of the risks associated with exposure to loud noise, and we will enjoy our activities at work or at home without these becoming hearing problems later.
Remember if you suffered an injury of this type due to inadequate work safety conditions or, due to the negligence of third parties, be it in a public space or other similar, you can contact us to study your case and offer you the appropriate options you deserve.
