How does noise and loud sounds damage our hearing?

The ear is an amazing and complex organ, with delicate parts that are sensitive to the impact of loud sound.  The inner ear consists of thousands of sensory cells that convert sound into nerve impulses so that the brain can understand the signal.  If these hair cells are exposed to very loud sounds they can be damaged or even destroyed, with hearing loss the result.

How loud is "too loud"?

We live in a noisy world.  On a daily basis we are exposed to sounds at work, home, school, sports, traffic, clubs, theatre, and concerts.  These can all be enjoyable experiences but when it is too loud it can become harmful.  The sound level scale developed by E-A-R research illustrates the typical sound levels we may experience and where it becomes harmful to our ears.  Normally 85dB is the level at which prolonged exposure can cause hearing loss, but the length of time/duration of exposure is also a significant factor.

How do I protect the hearing that I have?

We want to protect the hearing we've got, and there are many ways to do so:  earplugs, custom and non-custom (the famous yellow earplugs); earmuffs, musician plugs, HiFi earplugs and the list goes on!  Available in many bright coloured options they are easy to see and less likely to be lost.  In the work environment co-workers can also see when you are wearing noise protection. This tells them they need to get your attention first when trying to communicate!

Hearing Protection

Noise exposure is a common, yet preventable, cause of hearing loss.  It is important to preserve one's hearing sensitivity.  Both the intensity of noise and the duration of time one is exposed to it determine how hazardous it is.  We have many types of hearing protection options available, including:

• non-custom foam earplugs

• non-custom HiFi noise defenders

• custom solid industrial earplugs

• custom filtered (ER-9, ER-15, and ER-25) musicians earplugs

• custom floatable swimmers' earplugs

• custom sleeper earmolds

• custom digital hunting hearing protection

We can also provide custom communication molds, including:

• custom earbud/radio earmolds

• custom stethoscope adaptor earmolds

• custom communications earmold (for reporters, law enforcement agencies, etc.)

• custom telephone headset earmolds

• custom pilot headset earmolds

Click image to enlarge

Hearing Protection Links

Etymotic Research Inc.

E-A-R: Leading the Advancement of Hearing Protection

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Better Hearing Institute
A not-for-profit corporation that educates the public about the neglected problem of hearing loss and what can be done about it.

American Tinnitus Association
Exists to cure tinnitus through the development of resources that advance tinnitus research.

PBS documentary "Spotlight on Hearing Loss" - 9.5 minutes

Musician's Clinics of Canada

The American Tinnitus Association

Canadian Hard of Hearing Association
To build public awareness and remove barriers for the hard of hearing in the Edmonton region by providing support, advocacy, and programs.

Canadian Hearing Society
The leading provider of services, products, and information that:

• remove barriers to communication

• advance hearing health

• promote equity for people whose hearing has been damaged by illness, are orally deaf, deafened, and the hard of hearing

Dangerous Decibals
Public health campaign aimed at reducing the incidence and prevalence of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) and tinnitus (ringing in the ear) by changing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour of school-aged children.

National Hearing Conservation Association

The Hearing Foundation of Canada

The Hearing Foundation of Canada - Sound Sense

Scale graphic courtesy of Aearo Technologies.