How serious is noise-induced hearing loss?
30 million people are at risk at work, at play, and at home each day. In the 1990s, 10 million Americans permanently damaged their hearing. And more Americans are experiencing hearing loss at an earlier age than their parents. What are the effects of loud noises? Whether from an intense brief noise, like an explosion, or damage from repeated exposure, like working in a noisy machine shop, the results are hearing loss and tinnitus. A person with tinnitus experiences a sound like ringing, or buzzing, or a roaring in the ears and head. It can be constant or just occasional. What are the symptoms of hearing loss? Over time, sounds become muffled or distorted and individuals have trouble understanding what people are saying to them. Sometimes the people they live or work with find themselves repeating themselves at a higher volume in order to communicate. How can I prevent hearing loss? Know how much noise is too much. How loud, how long, and how close are all important considerations. If y
