Have you ever encountered someone with a very loud voice around you, who sounded like thunder in your ears when talking to you? Especially the person with the loudest voice? Could it be your parents, partner, friend or colleague? Have you ever thought that being in such a high-decibel environment will cause irreversible damage to our hearing?
Let’s talk about the answer first: If this happens occasionally and infrequently, it is usually not enough to cause long-term damage to our hearing.
But if this situation persists for a long time and exists in large quantities, it may indeed have a certain impact on our hearing. It is recommended to take some protective measures, such as asking the other party to lower the volume or wear earplugs.
How do ears capture sound?
Sound is an important medium for communicating and perceiving the world. How do ears capture sound, and how do we hear it? The mechanism behind this is complex and subtle, involving the microstructure inside the ear.
The structure of the ear can be divided into three main parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The outer ear includes the pinna and ear canal, which collect sound waves and direct them into the eardrum. When sound waves reach the eardrum, they cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted and amplified through three small bones in the middle ear—the malleus, incus, and stapes—and eventually reach the cochlea in the inner ear.
The cochlea is the core of the inner ear and contains a fluid called cochlear fluid, as well as thousands of hair cells. Hair cells are special nerve cells whose main function is to convert the mechanical vibrations of sound into electrical signals, which are then transmitted to the auditory center of the brain through the auditory nerve. The auditory center then interprets these signals into sounds that we understand.
At the top of the hair cells are many tiny hair-like structures called cilia. The cilia are arranged at different lengths, forming a gradient-like structure that allows the cochlea to respond to sounds of different frequencies.
When sound vibrations pass through the cochlear fluid, the cilia oscillate in response. Cilia of different lengths are sensitive to sounds of different frequencies, with shorter cilia sensitive to high-frequency sounds and longer cilia sensitive to low-frequency sounds.
However, when the sound is too loud, the cilia are over-stimulated, causing them to bend excessively or even break. This damage is irreversible because the cilia cannot repair themselves. Once the cilia are damaged, the function of the hair cells will be affected or even die, which can lead to permanent hearing loss. This is why prolonged exposure to loud sounds can cause serious damage to our hearing.
Be wary of high decibel volume
In order to protect hearing, we should avoid prolonged exposure to high-decibel environments, but in daily life, you may not realize that some sounds may be quietly damaging your hearing.
The intensity of sound is measured in decibels, and different decibel levels affect hearing differently.
Generally speaking, people speak at about 60 decibels during a normal conversation.
When the sound level reaches 70 to 80 decibels, such as the sound of a vacuum cleaner or hair dryer operating, we may start to feel uncomfortable.
Long-term exposure to environments above 85 decibels, such as the roar of motorcycles, chainsaws, or sounds from speakers at rock concerts, can cause damage to our hearing.
Especially when the sound level exceeds 100 decibels, such as the sound of a jet taking off or the sound of a gunshot, even brief exposure can cause permanent hearing loss.
So, what are some signs that you may have hearing loss?
First, if you find that you need to turn up the volume on your TV or music higher than usual, or if you have trouble hearing the person across from you in a noisy environment, or if you have trouble talking to someone on the phone, this is an early sign of hearing loss.
Secondly, if you often feel buzzing in your ears, or other persistent tinnitus, and feel discomfort or pain in your ears, this may also be a sign of hearing loss.
If you suspect that your hearing has been damaged, please consult a professional otolaryngologist promptly for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
What are some behaviors that damage hearing?
1. Like to turn up the volume of electronic devices very loudly
When watching videos or listening to music, you like to turn up the sound very loudly. This behavior is not only disturbing, but also exposes your ears to high-volume environments for a long time. It will not only cause temporary hearing loss, but may also cause permanent hearing damage.
2. Use headphones frequently
Headphones provide us with a private listening space, but if they are used regularly, they may cause ear pain. Especially when using headphones in noisy environments such as roads, subways, buses, etc., in order to hear clearly, we often turn up the volume of the headphones. Frequent use of headphones not only causes physical pain, but also indicates deeper hearing problems.
3. The working environment is full of noise
The roar of construction sites, the sound of factory machinery, the hustle and bustle of airports—these high-decibel working environments can become invisible killers that erode our hearing.
4. Frequently attend concerts
The passion of a rock concert, the carnival in a nightclub – these high-volume entertainment activities, especially the pounding beats of heavy metal or electronic music, although they can bring short-term happiness, they may also inadvertently damage our hearing. May cause serious harm to ears.
5. Use noisy equipment
The sharpness of a chainsaw, the roar of a drill, the roar of a motorcycle or the deafening blast of a firearm – these devices produce noise that far exceeds safe decibel levels and poses a direct threat to our hearing.
6. Neglecting ear health
A buildup of earwax, an ear infection, or damage to the ear canal may be hidden causes of hearing loss. These seemingly insignificant problems, if not paid attention to and dealt with, may gradually accumulate and eventually affect the quality of our hearing.
How to protect your hearing?
1. Adjust the volume appropriately
When enjoying audio or video content, we should consciously control the volume of the player to keep it at 40 to 50 decibels and no more than 60% of the maximum volume to reduce potential damage to hearing. In addition, arrange the time for listening to audio every day reasonably and avoid continuous listening for more than 1 hour. In public places, you should also try to stay away from loud audio equipment to reduce unnecessary noise exposure.
2. Give priority to external speakers and reduce the use of headphones
Give priority to external audio playback and reduce the use of headphones as much as possible. This can prevent the headphones from directly exerting continuous pressure on the eardrums and reduce the risk of hearing damage. Even at lower volumes, it is recommended not to use headphones for more than 1 hour a day.
3. Take protective measures
In unavoidable noisy environments, such as construction sites or concerts, wearing earplugs or using headphones with noise reduction function can significantly reduce the impact of external noise on the ears. Correct protective measures can effectively protect our hearing.
4. Give your ears the necessary rest
After listening to music for a long period of time or being in a noisy environment, it is important to give your ears proper rest. Relaxing activities such as reading, meditating, deep breathing, or sleeping can be done in a quiet environment. Regular breaks can reduce or eliminate ear irritation and reduce listening fatigue.
5. Check your hearing regularly
For people who are constantly exposed to loud noises, such as musicians, construction workers, and the elderly, regular professional hearing exams are crucial. In this way, hearing problems can be detected in time and necessary preventive or therapeutic measures can be taken to prevent further deterioration of hearing.
6. Maintain ear hygiene
Keeping your ears clean is the basis for protecting your hearing. Avoid inserting cotton swabs or other sharp objects into the ear canal to remove earwax to avoid damaging the ear canal and eardrum. If you experience ear discomfort or signs of infection, seek help from your doctor immediately to prevent a minor problem from turning into a larger health risk.
references
[1]Sun Hong Zhangluo. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery[M]. 9. People's Medical Publishing House, 2018.
[2]Li Jun. How to prevent hearing damage in daily life?[J].Environmental Economics, 2015, (10): 33.