Hearing loss can significantly impact a person's ability to connect and communicate as they age, leading to a decrease in their overall quality of life.
Exposure to loud noises from smartphones and headphones can contribute to the increasing prevalence of hearing loss, and it is important to take steps to protect one's hearing by reducing volume levels and using ear protection in loud environments.
Deep dives
The Impact of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is a significant issue that affects millions of people, particularly as they age. It can have a profound impact on people's ability to connect and communicate, leading to a decrease in their overall quality of life. Many people are unaware of the gradual onset of hearing loss, often only noticing when speech becomes difficult to understand or sounds become muffled. Modern lifestyle factors, such as constant exposure to loud noises from smartphones and headphones, contribute to the increasing prevalence of hearing loss.
Recognizing the Signs of Hearing Damage
Exposure to dangerous levels of sound can lead to hearing damage and various symptoms, including tinnitus, a perception of sound without an actual external source. People may experience temporary hearing shifts or 'noise hangovers' after being in noisy environments, which can result in muffled hearing, fatigue, and headaches. It is essential to recognize these signs and take steps to protect one's hearing, such as reducing volume levels and using ear protection in loud environments.
The Range of Human Hearing and Age-Related Hearing Loss
Humans can hear frequencies ranging from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, with younger individuals typically having a broader hearing range. As people age, their hearing range naturally diminishes, and they may lose sensitivity to higher frequencies. By playing different tones within the critical range, one can assess their hearing abilities, as the ability to hear certain frequencies diminishes with age. Businesses have even exploited this phenomenon by using high-frequency tones to repel loitering teenagers, although young people have used these tones to their advantage as well, setting them as text message notifications.
Our ears are sensitive, but we often don’t treat them that way. We are born with the ability to hear up to 20,000 Hz. As we age, our hearing range diminishes. On top of that, the more exposure we have to loud sounds, the greater the impact it has on our ability to hear. Find out what happens once we start to lose our hearing. Featuring Lindsay Prusick and Shaheem Sanchez (Instagram).