Most of us take our hearing for granted. We might even abuse it - until something goes wrong. Think how much you would miss it if you could not hear your favourite song, your baby’s cry or some great news - it is important to protect our ears and our hearing.
Your hearing is more fragile than you might think. Hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization, is the most common sensory disability globally. Studies have also shown that as many as 60% of students entering university already display some hearing loss.
Many people develop hearing loss as they age, but for others their hearing loss starts early and is caused by acoustical trauma – injury from sound. Recent studies indicate that many people have damaged hearing from two main causes: listening to loud music at music concerts, or from using portable music players.
Two factors cause damage to your hearing from noise: Loudness and duration. How do you know what is too much noise? Rather than trying to identify decibel levels, just remember these tips: If, after being exposed to noise you have a slight, high pitched ringing and a sense of fullness in your ears, you have a temporary loss of hearing ability. If you are experiencing noise and cannot understand someone only a few feet away speaking normally, then that is too much noise. If that happens too often, it can cause hearing loss.
What is the solution? Stop the noise! Keep your music sound levels down. If someone near you can hear music through your headphones, it’s too loud for you. Sometimes stopping the noise is not possible, such as when you work or live in a noisy environment. In that case, be sure to shield your ears with ear plugs or ear protectors. Life Brand has many different types of ear plugs in different colours, shapes and sizes including Life Brand Shaped Foam Ear Plugs, which come with a case so are easy to carry with you.
Keeping ear plugs on hand is a good idea. They can protect your hearing when you need them, such as when you are using loud power tools or you go to a rock concert or motor sports event. Many people use them to block out external noise or the sound of someone snoring at night to help them get a good night’s sleep! Protect your hearing so it lasts you for life.