Sports, yard work, travel …
The National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders states the easiest form of hearing loss to prevent from taking your hearing is Noise Induced Hearing Loss. This type of hearing loss, NIHL is the 2nd largest type recorded and the only type that is 100% preventable.
NIHL can be caused by a one-time exposure to an intense “impulse” sound, such as an explosion, or by continuous exposure to loud sounds over an extended period of time, such as noise generated in a woodworking shop. Harmful noises at home may come from sources including lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and woodworking tools. Long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss. The louder the sound, the shorter the amount of time it takes for NIHL to happen.
The tiny fibers found inside the cochlea of the inner ear become damaged and stop transmitting sound to the receptors that fire the electrical impulses to the brain. When these fibers stop working they can’t be restored and permanent hearing loss occurs.
Concerts, sporting events, farming tractors and more can all lead to NIHL that you expose yourself to every day and without realizing what you’re doing.