Noise exposure is one of the leading causes of hearing loss, so it’s important to be proactive about your hearing health if you’ve been around noise recently. However, sometimes the effects of loud noise on your hearing are temporary, so how can you tell if exposure was severe enough to warrant medical attention?
How Loud Is Too Loud?
Any sound over 85 decibels is loud enough to cause hearing damage. For reference, this is about the volume of heavy traffic or a crowded restaurant. At that level, it takes about eight hours of continuous exposure to cause real hearing damage. From there, the louder the sound, the shorter the time until damage occurs. A sound at 100 decibels (about the volume of a rock concert) can cause damage in two hours, and sounds at 120 decibels (about the volume of a gunshot) or higher can cause damage immediately.
Signs of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
If you’ve been exposed to loud noise recently, be on the lookout for these common early warning signs of hearing damage:
- Muffled or distorted hearing
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in your ears
- Difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds
- Difficulty hearing background noise
- Being easily distracted by background noise
- Difficulty hearing following conversations, especially in groups
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ear)
- Sensitivity to or even physical discomfort from loud sounds
Sometimes, these warning signs show up gradually, especially if the loud noise in question was on the lower end of the loud noise spectrum. Often, the people around you notice the symptoms before you do.
These hearing changes may be temporary, too. But don’t be fooled; just because the ringing in your ear stopped doesn’t mean that lasting damage hasn’t already happened. Furthermore, the cells in your ear may be more susceptible to damage the next time you’re exposed to a loud noise after the trauma of this recent exposure.
Seeking Help
If you’ve noticed any hearing changes—either temporary or permanent, mild or pronounced—it’s wise to get your hearing checked by an audiologist. Call us at The Hearing Solution today to learn more or to make an appointment.