PROTECT RESIDUAL HEARING FROM NOISE
Got hearing loss? Protect any residual hearing from noise, the archenemy of ears and hearing. Save every smidgen that is left!
Do not underestimate noise risk
For those with hearing loss, it is hard to tell how loud a place really is. Ear-numbing sound levels of rock concerts, gyms or insanely loud movies do not “bother” them that much. This is the nature of hearing loss and a huge threat to residual or left-over hearing. Just like everybody else, people with hearing loss must protect their hearing from noise.
How loud is it? Get a soundmeter phone app
Such apps can give a quick sound measurement and put people on notice when they are in an excessively loud place that calls for special hearing protection. However, the app has to be compatible with the phone. Not all apps are the same. Among other technical details, the microphone sensitivity varies among smartphone brands and that alone can affect the accuracy of sound readings.
Get the facts from the hearing specialist
In their effort to get hearing better, people with hearing loss often forget that their residual hearing is still very much at risk from loud sound. They become overly confident that hearing aids solve all hearing issues, which leads to carelessness in loud places. Some might still believe that their ears have “toughened” to noise, which is of course an extremely dangerous myth.
Questions that might be asked during the next hearing appointment:
- Do my hearing aids protect me from excess noise, such as at a loud movie?
- What does it mean that “my hearing aids reduce noise?” When do they do so?
- How loud is too loud for my hearing aids? When do I need noise protection?
- Are my earmolds made of sound-protective materials?
- What are appropriate choices for protecting residual hearing from noise?
- What are “musician” earplugs? Filtered earplugs? Passive or active attenuation?
Don’t let hearing loss get worse
As people become increasingly responsible for their own hearing health and safety, it is important to learn about appropriate protection from loud sound for those with hearing loss. Becoming noise-smart is an effective strategy for hanging on to every bit of natural hearing for as long as possible. It is a matter of continued quality of life for now and for the future so that the music—although a bit dull and tinny—will never die.
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For industry Safety training on Noise-induced Hearing Loss prevention or for community presentations, please email [email protected]
To learn more hearing loss, please see my book on hearing loss: What Did You Say? An Unexpected Journey into the World of Hearing Loss, now in its second updated edition. Sharing my story and what I had to learn the hard way