9 surprising sounds that permanently damage our hearing.
Our ears are the organs that send sound to our brains through a complex system. Starting with the visible part of the ear, sound is funneled to the eardrum, triggering movement of the middle ear bones, and processed through the cochlea which is lined with hair cells that connect to the auditory nerve in the brain.
When we talk about noise-induced hearing loss, we are focusing primarily on the health and function of those hair cells in the cochlea. Over time, and depending on what situations we are in, various sounds are constantly being processed by these hair cells. With loud sounds, we are putting our hair cells at risk of becoming weak or permanently damaged. Unfortunately, once we lose the strength of those hair cells, we don’t gain it back.
The range of loudness that poses a threat to our ears is determined to be from 70-119dB (for prolonged exposure) and 120dB and above (for immediate damage to the ears).
Common activities that can permanently damage our hearing:
1. Concerts. Seeing a live show can amp up to 95-110dB.
2. Movies. Catching an action flick can pump out 94-110dB.
3. Motorcycles/loud engines. Hitting the road presents 85-110dB.
4. Headphones. Maxing out the volume can give your ears a direct hit of 94-110dB.
5. Indoor stadium games. This environment can get from 94-110dB.
6. Fireworks display. Attending the July 4th display can be between 140-160dB.
7. Shooting/hunting. Shooting firearms can blast you at 140-175dB.
8. Power tools. Home improvement projects and woodworking can present 90-112dB.
9. Industrial/construction environments on average present above 90db for several hours.
*Although these activities may not be something that cause immediate damage, they are circumstances that put your ears at risk through exposure over time. For our many Colorado hunters out there, 1 gun shot without proper hearing protection can cause permanent damage to your hearing!
Enjoy all of these activities without sacrificing anything!
Custom hearing protection, made to fit your ears, is perfect for concerts, industrial environments, hunting and many other situations.
Modern hearing protection includes filters that allow you to hear the people around you, hear the rich base and all the chords at your favorite concert while protecting you from permanent damage. Digital hearing protection for hunting comes in many different levels of intelligence for the competitive shooter to the game hunter.
Schedule an appointment today for a consultation on custom hearing protection and to protect one of your most valuable assets, your hearing.
Call OR text us now at 303-956-1823
