What is noise-induced hearing loss?
Every day, we experience sound in our environment,
such as the sounds from television and radio, household
appliances, and traffic. Normally, these sounds are at safe
levels that don’t damage our hearing. But sounds can be
harmful when they are too loud, even for a brief time, or
when they are both loud and long-lasting. These sounds
can damage sensitive structures in the inner ear and cause
noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).
NIHL can be immediate or it can take a long time to be
noticeable. It can be temporary or permanent, and it can
affect one ear or both ears. Even if you can’t tell that you are
damaging your hearing, you could have trouble hearing
in the future, such as not being able to understand other
people when they talk, especially on the phone or in a
noisy room. Regardless of how it might affect you, one
thing is certain: noise-induced hearing loss is something
you can prevent.