Protecting Your Hearing

Raising Awareness About Excessive Noise

What is sound?sound?

• Vibrations or waves that move through the air or water. Caused by molecules bumpinginto each other.

• The faster a wave vibrates, the higher the sound; slower waves produce low sound

• Our voice produces sound because of vocal cords in our throat that vibrate when air is forced through them.

The Human EarThe ear is dividedinto 3 parts:

-The outer ear or pinna,funnels sound waves into the ear canal, which will lead to the eardrum. This is a membrane that stretches across the entrance to the middle ear.

The Human Ear

• -The middle ear has three tiny bones, the hammer, the anvil, and the stirrup. This is where waves become amplified.

The Human Ear• Inside the inner ear is a

coiled tube called the cochlea. It is filled with fluid, special “hair cells,” and nerve endings. It signals the brain, which lets you know what sound you heard. You will also find the semicircular canals which help control balance

Sensory Hearing Hearing LossLoss

Caused by damage to the tiny hair cells in the cochlea. It is permanent.– Most common causes:

• Aging•Loud noises. This damage is

preventable!!

Noise and Its Effect on Hearing

• Sounds are measured in decibels (dB). Very high levels cause damage to your hearing

• Hearing loss due to loud noises is common in

children, adolescents,

and adults

Noise Levels and Time to Permanent Hearing loss

Continuous sound level Permissible Exposure Time

85 dB 8 hours

88 dB 4 hours

91 dB 2 hours

94 dB 1 hour

97 dB 30 minutes

100 dB 15 minutes

103 dB 7.5 minutes

106 dB Less than 4 minutes

109 dB Less than 2 minutes

112 dB Less than 1 minute

Examples of Sound Levels in Our Environment

• Listening to music on earphones at volume level 5, the sound reaches a level of 100 dB, loud enough to cause permanent damage after just 15 minutes per day!

Loud Noises Around San Antonio

• Above 85 decibelsBand practice, football games, video arcades

• Above 100 decibelsPep rallies, rock concerts

More Examples of Things That Cause Too Much Noise

• Target shooting

• Hunting

• Woodworking

• Shop tools

• Video Games and arcades

• Movie theaters

• Snowmobiling

• Power boating

• Hair dryers

• Blenders

• Vacuum cleaners

• Garbage disposals

• Gas-powered lawn mowers and string trimmers

• Leaf blowers

• Musical concerts

• Sports events

The Warning Signs of Noise Induced Hearing

Loss • Hearing loss and

tinnitus may be experienced in one or both ears, and may happen all the time, or only occasionally throughout a lifetime.

Who Is Affected by Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?

• More than 28 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss…. including:– Children

– Adolescents

– Young adults

– Older people

• Over 5 million 6 – 19 year-olds have hearing loss directly related to noise

exposure.

How do I protect my ears from loud noise?

• Turn it down!!

• Walk away!!

• Wear ear plugs!!

Where to Go for More InformationCrank It Down!

National Hearing Conservation Association

www.hearingconservation.org

Dangerous Decibels

Oregon Hearing Research Center

www.dangerousdecibels.org