Jan. 8, 2025 | The human ear is, like most parts of the human body, made up of very distinct and connective parts and comes in many shapes and sizes. Typically, men’s ears are larger than women’s, according to a study in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. No matter what their size or shape may be, all ears share certain factors. All have three main parts, the external ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. And all have important features that facilitate hearing and balance. The inner part of the ear contains tiny hair cells, nerve endings that change sound into electric signals. Nerves then carry these signals to the brain, which recognizes them as sound. Unfortunately, these tiny hair cells are easily damaged by loud sounds. Listening to loud music through ear buds connected to devices like iPods or MP3 players or at music concerts can cause hearing loss. Over time, repeated exposure to loud noise and music can cause hearing loss.

Jan. 8, 2025 | Adults and young people are commonly exposed to loud noises and music everywhere these days. A decibel is a unit to measure the level of sound. The softest sound that some humans can hear is 20 decibels or lower, about the loudness of a whisper. Normal talking is 40 to 60 decibels. A rock concert can range between 80 and 120 decibels and can be as high as 140 decibels right in front of the speakers. Headphones at maximum volume are approximately 105 decibels. How much of a risk loud music poses to your hearing depends on a number of factors, such as how loud the music is, how close you are to the speakers, how long and how often you are exposed to loud music, what kind of headphones you are using as well as your family’s medical history of hearing loss. Children who play in school bands can also be exposed to high decibel sounds, depending on which instruments they play and where they sit in the band.

Jan. 8, 2025 | You’ve probably seen them at a concert, people with tissues or rolled-up napkins stuffed in their ears. Unfortunately, those homemade defense systems do nothing to protect your ears from loud noises that can lead to hearing loss. There are two types of earplugs, however, that are recommended to muffle the sound without hindering your enjoyment of the show. Foam or silicone earplugs, available at most drugstores, help reduce noise. They will muffle sounds and voices but may fit poorly. Custom-fit musician earplugs, meanwhile, fit better than foam or silicone ones and do not change the sound quality. The next time you attend a concert, be sure to sit at least 10 feet or more away from the speakers and take breaks in quieter areas of the venue. It’s a good idea to avoid having others shout in your ears to be heard, which can cause further harm to your hearing, and to rest your ears for 24 hours after exposure to loud music to give them time to recover.

Jan. 8, 2025 | According to the World Health Organization, by 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people are projected to have some degree of hearing loss, and over one billion young adults are at risk of permanent hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices. If you listen to music or podcasts using earbuds, you should be aware that earbuds that don’t fit in your ears very well tend to let in a lot of surrounding noise, which makes many people turn up the volume to a harmful level. The same can be said for headphones that sit loosely over your ears. Try to find noise-canceling earbuds that form a tight seal inside the ear canal to block out the surrounding sounds and allow you to keep the volume lower. Headphones should fit snugly over your ears. But be careful, using “noise-canceling” devices means you might not hear important warning sounds like car horns if you’re out walking or riding a bike. These types of devices are best used when you’re in a secure setting.

Jan. 8, 2025 | Untreated hearing loss is associated with poorer overall health, including cardiovascular risk, cognitive changes, diabetes, balance disorders and depression, and can lead socially engaged adults to become isolated. If you have ringing in your ears or your hearing is muffled for more than 24 hours after exposure to loud music, you should have your hearing checked by an audiologist. If some sounds seem louder than they should be, if it is easier to hear men’s voices than women’s voices or if other people’s voices sound mumbled or slurred, you may have a hearing problem that needs to be addressed. If you find yourself having trouble understanding speech in noisy places, find it hard to follow speech in groups or when a person’s mouth is covered, if listening makes you tired, then you may have a hearing loss. If you have concerns about your hearing, ask your physician about having a comprehensive hearing evaluation.