Written by Janki Patel
Those belonging to the younger generation are known to go to concerts every now and then, especially when their favorite artist is on tour. Otherwise, they choose to enjoy their music by blasting it in their cars or through their headphones. It seems fun and pretty harmless, but there is a huge risk involved in all situations: the possibility of developing hearing loss. Not immediately, of course, but with the progression of age, it is possible [1].
It is commonly believed that the ringing in one’s ears, also known as tinnitus, will disappear after being in a loud environment. However, the auditory system itself goes through some irreversible changes over time [2]. For instance, a 55-year-old man named Chris Munson had a habit of listening to music and watching films on high volumes when he was younger and up until the present. Thus, he suffered from tinnitus many times during his life, but ignored it. After a while, he developed mild hyperacusis, a condition in which normal sounds become intolerable [2]. The damage Munson caused to his ears may have been temporary at first, but now it is permanent.
The negative effects of continuous noise exposure was observed in mammals, specifically mice, when they were exposed to beyond normal hearing ranges, which was done by Dr. Kujawa and Dr. Liberman of Harvard Medical School. It was revealed that over time, the amount of certain auditory fibers in the ear decreased. This, in reality, can make it harder to hear in noisy environments [3]. This is why the elderly have a hard time hearing what others have to say and constantly need people to speak louder: they no longer have the necessary fibres in their ears to hear the people around them. However, the age at which this occurs can vary based on how well one protects his or her ears. Listening to loud sounds―like firearms, loud music, and lawnmowers―for long periods of time can be incredibly harmful to one’s ears and can lead to age-related hearing loss more quickly than normal [4].
So, what can be done to prevent hearing loss? Avoid loud noises as much as possible. Even though many individuals in the modern day love jamming out in their cars or with their headphones, these behavioral patterns can be changed little by little. Additionally, the volume can be lowered every now and then. In fact, it is recommended that when listening to music through headphones, the volume should not be more than 60% [1]. With enough effort, you may be able save your sense of hearing.
References:
1. Nathanson, Kathryn, and James, Susan Donaldson. “Generation Deaf: Doctors Warn of Dangers of Ear Buds.” NBCNews.com, NBC Universal News Group, 8 June 2015.
2. Cohen, Joyce. “That Ringing in Your Ears? Don’t Assume It Will Just Fade Away.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 13 July 2015.
3. Kujawa, S.G., Liberman, M.C. 2009. Adding Insult to Injury: Cochlear Nerve Degeneration after “Temporary” Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. The Journal of Neuroscience. 29: 14077.
4. NIDCD Information Clearinghouse. “Age-Related Hearing Loss.” National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 28 Aug. 2017.