How Noise Can Damage Your Hearing
Sound is something that we experience almost every time in our day to day life.
It could be someone speaking or the sound of a vehicle or clattering of things.
Almost everything that we do makes a sound but of varied intensities, although, there is a vast difference between sound and noise.
When we hear sound, it may not necessarily harm our ears, but a sound of very large intensity does.
This is called noise, and if exposed to it for a long duration, will affect our ears very badly.
Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is caused when the sensitive structures in our inner ear gets damaged to exposure to noise for a long time.
NIHL usually happens when we are exposed to intense noise levels for a prolonged period.
A sound intensity of over 85 decibels is likely to cause a problem whereas a sound intensity of below 75 decibels is generally considered safe.
Noise made by motorcycles, firecrackers and small fireworks with a sound intensity ranging from 120 to 150 decibels are the usual causes for NIHL.
Apart from this, a onetime exposure to an intense "impulse" sound such as an explosion may also cause NIHL.
It is very important to keep a check on the noise levels that one is exposed to, as that is the primary cause for such problems.
Prolonged exposure to harmful sounds may result in the damage of hair cells as well as the auditory or sensory nerve.
Impulse sound may also cause the same along with immediate hearing loss which may be permanent.
Such hearing losses may be accompanied by tinnitus, which is a ringing or a buzzing sound in the ear or head.
This may or may not subside over a period of time and may occasionally occur.
If a person regains his hearing, the temporary loss of hearing is called a temporary threshold shift.
This may subside within 16 to 48 hours to the exposure to sound.
One should regularly use ear protectors or ear plugs to prevent exposure to continuous noise.
Over a period of time, if the sound a person hears becomes muffled, distorted or has difficulty in understanding speech, is the first symptom of NIHL.
These symptoms may gradually increase over a period of time.
People at times may not be aware of the problem they are going through, but hearing loss can be detected by means of hearing detectors.
People of all ages, from infants to the aged are vulnerable to NIHL.
Recreational activities like target shooting, hunting, snowmobile riding, woodworking, playing in a band and attending rock concerts, all put you at a risk of developing NIHL.
Noises at home that may come from lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and shop tools may also prove harmful.
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) researches the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of NIHL.
Damaged hair cells, which do not grow back in humans and other mammals, are the primary cause for NIHL.
Researchers have now identified some of the many genes important for ear development and hearing.
They have also been studying the possibility of using gene therapy to re grow hair cells in mammals.
It could be someone speaking or the sound of a vehicle or clattering of things.
Almost everything that we do makes a sound but of varied intensities, although, there is a vast difference between sound and noise.
When we hear sound, it may not necessarily harm our ears, but a sound of very large intensity does.
This is called noise, and if exposed to it for a long duration, will affect our ears very badly.
Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is caused when the sensitive structures in our inner ear gets damaged to exposure to noise for a long time.
NIHL usually happens when we are exposed to intense noise levels for a prolonged period.
A sound intensity of over 85 decibels is likely to cause a problem whereas a sound intensity of below 75 decibels is generally considered safe.
Noise made by motorcycles, firecrackers and small fireworks with a sound intensity ranging from 120 to 150 decibels are the usual causes for NIHL.
Apart from this, a onetime exposure to an intense "impulse" sound such as an explosion may also cause NIHL.
It is very important to keep a check on the noise levels that one is exposed to, as that is the primary cause for such problems.
Prolonged exposure to harmful sounds may result in the damage of hair cells as well as the auditory or sensory nerve.
Impulse sound may also cause the same along with immediate hearing loss which may be permanent.
Such hearing losses may be accompanied by tinnitus, which is a ringing or a buzzing sound in the ear or head.
This may or may not subside over a period of time and may occasionally occur.
If a person regains his hearing, the temporary loss of hearing is called a temporary threshold shift.
This may subside within 16 to 48 hours to the exposure to sound.
One should regularly use ear protectors or ear plugs to prevent exposure to continuous noise.
Over a period of time, if the sound a person hears becomes muffled, distorted or has difficulty in understanding speech, is the first symptom of NIHL.
These symptoms may gradually increase over a period of time.
People at times may not be aware of the problem they are going through, but hearing loss can be detected by means of hearing detectors.
People of all ages, from infants to the aged are vulnerable to NIHL.
Recreational activities like target shooting, hunting, snowmobile riding, woodworking, playing in a band and attending rock concerts, all put you at a risk of developing NIHL.
Noises at home that may come from lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and shop tools may also prove harmful.
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) researches the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of NIHL.
Damaged hair cells, which do not grow back in humans and other mammals, are the primary cause for NIHL.
Researchers have now identified some of the many genes important for ear development and hearing.
They have also been studying the possibility of using gene therapy to re grow hair cells in mammals.
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