Another day at work, another loud concert for UF junior Kristen Fortenberry to set up. For Fortenberry, a regular day working at the O'Connell Center is a potentially harmful situation, unless she wears protection—protection for her ears, that is.
“I use the ear plugs I get from the O’Dome. They are a bit noticeable—fluorescent orange—and don't look that cool, but I've gotten over that. It's not always fun to wear earplugs, but I know the damage that can be done,” says Fortenberry, a film and media studies major.
When she doesn't wear earplugs, she can tell the difference. “I go to rock concerts or metal concerts and I'm standing near the stage,” Fortenberry says. “About every time I leave the building, my ears are hissing.”
That hissing sound in her ears is the sound of hearing loss. Although she may not notice a difference in her hearing today, it could catch up with her 10 or 15 years from now, according to Howard Rothman, Ph.D., undergraduate coordinator in the department of communication sciences and disorders at UF. Fortenberry is one of the lucky ones—she noticed the problem and started wearing earplugs.
Unfortunately, many college students haven't yet tuned in to the fact that loud music and noises can damage their hearing. According to a study by Alice Holmes, associate professor of communicative disorders in UF's College of Health Professions, 17 percent of students ages 10 to 20 have lost some ability to hear. By turning a deaf ear to the potential hazards of hearing loss now, you may be clinching your fate for a Miracle Ear fitting later on.
“I like to call young people an endangered species when it comes to hearing,” says Rothman. He points to rock concerts, athletic events, dance clubs, headsets and high-powered car stereo systems as cause for concern.
“Amplifiers and sound systems just keep getting bigger and louder. It’s getting harder and harder for young people to avoid loud noise,” Rothman says. “Many students don’t realize once the damage is done, it’s done. If we can identify those with a hearing problem, hopefully we can do something to prevent further loss.”
Plugging up the problem
Education is the key. It’s important to know the warning signs, which sounds are dangerous, and what you can do to prevent hearing damage.
“I often ask my students, ‘would you look directly at the sun for a few minutes?’ says Rothman. “They say ‘no,’ so I ask them, ‘why do you risk damaging your hearing?’”
Earplugs are the best method to reduce exposure to noise and greatly reduce the chance of future hearing loss. Buscetto recommends wearing them to any potentially loud event, such as clubs, concerts and football games.
“My friends think you can’t hear the music at clubs, but you can actually hear better,” Buscetto says. “I find I can hear conversations more clearly since the earplugs tend to drown out some of the background noise.”
An inexpensive solution to the problem, earplugs can be purchased at any drugstore. A package of 20 flesh-colored earplugs costs about $20, while a package of more noticeable earplugs cost about $2 to $5. Earplugs can reduce noise levels by 10 to 15 decibels, a considerable amount that may be just enough to prevent hearing loss, says Rothman. Limiting exposure, turning down the sound and wearing ear plugs now to prevent damage are simple steps that will pay off in the long run, he says.
“If people laugh at you because you have these things sticking out of your ears, let them know you’ll be laughing at them 10 years from now, only they won’t be able to hear you because they’ll be deaf,” Rothman says.
Disability from decibels
From the blast of jet engines during takeoff to the blare of rock music from your car stereo, noise is everywhere. So how do you know what's harmful and what's not? Noise levels are measured in decibels, explains Rothman. The higher the decibel (dB) number, the more damaging the noise.
How do loud sounds lead to hearing loss? When you hear a sound, the microscopic hairs inside the cochlea (inner ear) vibrate, signaling the auditory nerve to send electrical impulses to the brain. The brain interprets those impulses as sound. When the hairs are damaged, the transmission of sound is altered and hearing loss occurs.
The amount of noise and the length of time people are exposed to it determine how much damage the noise will do, Rothman says. Sounds above 140 decibels can damage hearing after a single exposure, whereas sounds louder than 85 decibels are considered hazardous if exposure is over a long period.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, when noise is louder than 110 decibels—the level of loud music—exposure for only one minute and 29 seconds can cause permanent damage. The maximum exposure time for 85 decibels—a noisy restaurant—is eight hours before hearing may be impaired.
A good rule of thumb is that if you’re shouting to be heard above the noise or you can’t understand someone who is speaking to you from less than two feet away, the noise is too loud.
“It’s pretty much common sense. If you can feel the bass at a club, it’s probably doing damage,” says Stacey Buscetto, a communication sciences and disorders senior.
Say What?
Hearing loss isn’t always obvious. The symptoms are few and are rarely painful. After attending a loud party or concert, you may notice a vague feeling of pressure inside your head. Or you may feel as though your head and ears are stuffed with cotton. Perhaps you hear a slight ringing in your ears. Speech may seem muffled or far away, Rothman explains.
Sherri Macleay, a finance senior, recalls such an experience after sitting in the front row at a Garth Brooks concert.
“I kept saying ‘What?’ to everyone because my hearing was so muffled. It was like I had a paper bag over my head,” Macleay says.
These symptoms often go away a few minutes later, but that doesn’t mean damage hasn’t been done, Rothman warns.
A person first loses the ability to hear high-pitched noises, such as birds singing. Then the loss spreads to the lower pitches necessary for understanding speech. The long-term effects of permanent hearing loss can cause a great deal of communication difficulties, Buscetto says.
“The more you subject yourself to loud noise, the longer it will take you to recover and, ultimately, you won’t recover,” Rothman says.
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