Hearing protection is absolutely imperative to the lasting health of your inner ear. Although it may not seem it, your quality of hearing is jeopardised on a regular basis and by volumes which are considerably lower than you may have initially thought. Whether through exposure to loud music, power tools, heavy machinery or even just prolonged exposure to traffic: it is disconcertingly easy for neglect of auditory health to result in long-term, irreversible hearing damage. Alongside the danger of exposure to loud noise, there are other factors which can impact upon your auditory health: such as the risk of infection when swimming or following an operation on the ear canal. There are simple measures that can be taken in order to protect your ears with minimum fuss: notably the use of specialised hearing and inner protection.

Protection from Dangerous Noise

There are numerous places of employment and recreation which can potentially damage you long-term hearing. Those who deal with weaponry and heavy machinery especially are very strongly advised to make use of ear defenders in order to prevent any immediate or future issues. Modern ear defenders are incredibly sophisticated pieces of equipment, worlds apart from their predecessors which simply muffled all sounds. A high quality earplug or set of ear defenders should allow the wearer to easily hear conversation and other essential sounds, whilst also automatically providing protection against loud or dangerous noises.

Filtered earplugs are a revelation in noisy environments and utilised by such bodies as the US army. Capable of resisting and protecting at volumes up to 200dB, they still allow ease of hearing when it comes to speech due to their intelligently designed filter system which allows safe frequencies to pass through whilst protecting against dangerous volumes and frequencies.

There are also earplugs designed specifically for musicians which are attuned to different frequencies and allow sound to be heard clearly but at a reduced, safe volume: which is absolutely essential in the long-term. These forms of filtered earplugs are also ideal for motorcyclists who wish to still be able to hear speech whilst drowning out the persistent noise whilst on the road.

Infection Protection

Whilst many ear defenders serve the purpose of protecting from excessive or incessant noise, there are other forms which are essential not for their protection from sounds, but from other external dangers. Many people are prone to ear infection either as an innate disposition or as a consequence of operations on the ear canal or inner ear. For these individuals, swimming and sleep plugs are a great way to prevent the risk of infection from stopping them from engaging in activities which involve submersion in water, and as the name would suggest: are also ideal for light sleepers, or those who work night shifts and require sleep during the day.

Protect Yourself

There are a great number of ear protection devices available to counteract any possible damage in a variety of environments and scenarios. If any of the situations listed above pertain to you then it may be well worth considering high quality hearing protection. Custom made ear defenders are always preferable and ensure the maximum, relevant protection. Furthermore, bespoke ear defenders are considerably more comfortable and hygienic: which is particularly beneficial if they are to be worn over long periods of time.

Nobody is going to refute the importance of hearing, it is one of the main means by which we experience and interact with the world around us. With this in mind it seems strange that auditory health and protection are neglected on a widespread scale.

The maximum volume achievable in air is 194dB (decibels), this is a level which you are never going to personally experience unless at the site of an exploding volcano, although if you have ever fired a shotgun you may have experienced volume at a none too distant level of 165dB!

Putting these massive figures aside, damage can be caused at any level from 85dB: which is equivalent to heavy traffic or a hair dryer- if exposed to the sound for in excess of 8 hours. Evidently given the long exposure time, this doesn’t pose too immediate or major a threat. There are however examples which are far more worrying. Listening to music through headphones is a particularly concerning instance, especially given the proliferation of personal mp3 players in recent years. IPod’s for instance historically had a maximum volume in excess of 110 dB, at this level permanent damage can occur in less than 2 minutes: less than the length of one song.

Thankfully, Apple have recently acquiesced to governmental decrees on maximum volume and have limited devices to levels dictated by the relevant powers in most countries.
Even at their previous, unrestricted volumes however, mp3 players hardly come close to the volume levels commonly reached at rock concerts, which can range from 110dB to a staggering 140dB. At 130dB and above, pain is often experienced and immediate hearing damage is not uncommon. As a consequence of this, not only is it absolutely imperative that musicians take measures to protect themselves from frequent exposure to the volume levels reached at live performances but also that those in the crowd take measures to prevent potential damage.

The same concerns affect motorcyclists, who are often exposed to volumes in the region of 100dB when on the road and those who use power tools, which in some cases emit up to 120dB when in operation. There are a vast range of instances in which individuals may be exposed to sound levels which threaten auditory health.

In order to protect your hearing and prevent future damage there are two simple options, the first of which: turn the volume down, is incredibly effective, but obviously impossible in many situations! In environments without a volume control, ear defenders are the sensible option. Unlike the unwieldy large headgear of the past, ear protection is now extremely discreet and incredibly advanced. In addition, rather than just minimising the sound allowed to pass into the ear, many modern devices are able to block specific frequencies allowing conversation in areas of high background noise, whilst still protecting the user.

Despite recent legislation in some areas, such as the requirement of employers to provide hearing protection to employees working in environments which commonly reach high volume levels, it is almost universally the responsibility of the individual to protect their hearing in the long term. With that in mind, ear defenders may well be worth taking a closer look at.

A recent study in New York shows the potential for what our American friends call mass transit noise exposure to exceed World Health Organisation limits. What this means is that travelling by tube, train bus or car can subject commuters and especially operators to high levels of noise exposure, over a period of time this can cause a noise-induced hearing loss. The study was carried out by a team of scientists from the University of Washington and the Columbia University Department of Sociomedical Sciences using noise dosimetry to measure time-integrated noise levels in a representative sample of New York City mass transit systems aboard transit vehicles and at vehicle boarding platforms or terminals, during June and July 2007. "Of the transit types evaluated, subway cars and platforms had the highest associated equivalent continuous average and maximum noises levels. All transit types had noise levels well above 70dBA (decibels), the threshold at which a noise-induced hearing is considered possible." They went on to recommend: "Environmental noise-control efforts in mass transit and, in cases in which controls are infeasible, the use of personal hearing protection would benefit the ridership's hearing health."

Personal ear protection is available in a variety of styles from disposable, to custom made silicone ear protection and communication devices with filters to help you hear in noisy environments, while cutting out harmful loud noises.

Source: Noise Levels Associated With New York City's Mass Transit Systems. Richard Neitzel, Robyn R.M. Gershon, Marina Zeltser, Allison Canton, Muhammad Akram. American Journal of Public Health.