If you have ever experienced ringing in your ears after a live concert, know that it is a sign of hearing damage and it is pretty irreversible if you don’t protect your ears. Being exposed to noise is one of the biggest causes of hearing loss. In order to prevent this, follow the tips suggested by Audiologie Centre-Ouest below. But before proceeding to the tips, you must know how much loud is too loud.
Listening to any sound that is beyond 85 dB can easily cause permanent hearing damage, tinnitus or both. It can be tricky to determine how much loud is too loud, but if you cannot talk to anyone who is about 2 meters away from you, then the noise levels are really high. Here are some numbers you need to be aware of:
- 85dB – food blender
- 88dB – heavy traffic
- 91dB – pneumatic drill
- 94dB – lawnmower
- 97dB – fire alarm
- 100dB – nightclub
- 110dB – live gig or concert
- 120dB – fireworks
- 130dB – aeroplane taking off 100m away
Tips to follow in noisy settings:
- At nightclubs and concerts
You are at very much risk of hearing damage just spending 15 minutes in a normal nightclub which plays music at 100 dB.
- Using headphones
Listening to blaring music from headphones can also be the biggest risk to your hearing. Use a good noise cancelling headphone to not increase the volume so much to avoid listening to your background nose. The experts recommend to take a break for at least 5 minutes in every hour to rest your ears.
- In loud workplaces
If your workplace is noisy, like a factory, construction site or music venue, your boss must assure you that you are carrying hearing protection with you at all times. If the noise goes beyond 85 dB, then they have to take action as their legal duty.
- At firework displays
Here the noise may go up around 120 dB to 155 dB. In other words, all it takes just a few seconds to stand too close to the fireworks for permanent hearing damage.
- During noisy activities
Noise emitting from using power tools or vehicle repairs can also cause hearing damage. For the motorcyclists, wind and engine noise are the factors, invest in noise filtering earplugs.
- Snoring and other anti-social noises
Noise levels below 40 dB tend to cause sleep disruption. Snoring can be above 50 dB or more. Neighbors and traffic can also disrupt your sleep in no time. Apart from insomnia, it can impact your hearing as well.
