Preventing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss at Home

Any hearing health professional will tell you loud noises are one of the most common causes of hearing damage and hearing loss. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), loud noises are responsible for hearing loss in 10 million Americans. Even if you’re not a part of this statistic, you could be one of the 30 to 50 million exposed to potentially damaging noise levels in the course of everyday life.

That’s right – you don’t have to be life-long industrial worker to be at risk for hearing damage. You don’t even have to leave your yard. You just have to go about your daily life without taking the right precautions. So what kinds of home environment sounds can damage your hearing? Take a look at the following list:

85-100 decibels

• Some vacuum cleaners
• Some hair dryers
• Some appliances – blender/mixer
• Garbage disposal
• Lawnmowers
• Electric drills

105-140 decibels

• Hammering nails
• Power equipment like chainsaws and nail guns
• Leaf blower
• Snow blower
• Stereo speakers on maximum volume
• Personal listening devices at maximum volume

Did some of these surprise you? You’ll notice that all of these sounds require electricity (technology is indeed a blessing and a curse.) They might not seem loud enough to damage your hearing, but all it takes is consistent exposure to sounds over 85 decibels – everything on these lists. The higher the volume and the longer the exposure, the greater the potential for noise-induced hearing loss – especially when several high-volume devices are being used at once.

How to prevent noise-induced hearing loss

Avoid compensating for background noise. If you’re running the television and a few appliances while listening to music, you might turn the volume up to dangerous levels to compensate. Instead, use fewer appliances at a time or wait until things are quieter before attempting to listen to personal media. If your children or teens are using earbuds with their personal devise, make sure they’re not set at maximum volume, either. The CDC reports that at least 16 percent of teens have suffered hearing loss, most likely due to the increasing use of these personal electronics.

Quick tips to follow at home

• Use power equipment in shorter increments of time, and wear hearing protection. Even if you’re “just” mowing the lawn, only 30 minutes to an hour of exposure to its 95 decibels can damage your hearing.

• Take a “sound break.” Enjoying some true peace and quiet at home is healthy for your mind and mood, with the residual benefit of giving your ears a break.

Everyday noises can be the biggest threat to our hearing health because we take them for granted. Don’t take your hearing for granted – lower those volumes and wear hearing protection whenever possible. As always, if you suspect hearing loss due to noise exposure, schedule an appointment with a hearing instrument specialist. The early hearing loss is diagnosed and treated, the better.