Raising Awareness on Better Hearing and Speech Throughout the Month of May

We’re raising awareness about potential hearing loss caused by loud noises. The inablity to hear can affect your speaking abilities. Not being able to hear after many years can impact your ability to remember the way speech sounds. 

Better Hearing and Speech Month (BHSM) started in 1927. Every May, hearing health and speech issues are given a platform to remind people to take care of their hearing health and get it tested.

Identifying and intervening immediately when hearing loss is suspected is crucial for a better outcome. Most people live with hearing loss, but are often unaware that there’s a problem. Getting your hearing checked annually, or if you suspect you have hearing loss is crucial for proper care and treatment.

The first World Report on Hearing from the World Health Organization  

• Noise is being recognized as an essential issue for public health and a major environmental risk that is currently faced by the world. 
• Protect your hearing by keeping the volume lower than 60%.
• More than 50% of individuals between 12 and 35 years of age listen to music and other audio through earbuds, headphones, and other personal devices at volumes that can risk your hearing. 
• If you regularly use personal audio devices to drown out loud sounds, instead of raising the volume, try wearing noise-canceling earphones or headphones. 
• Time spent listening to music or media via personal audio devices should not surpass 80 dB in adults, 75 dB in children, or those with sensitive hearing for 40 hours per week.
• Listeners who frequently use portable audio devices can be exposed to the same level of sound during 15 minutes of music at 100 dB that an industrial worker would be exposed to during an 8-hour day at 85 dB.   

Hearing Health Facts

On average, a person is born with nearly 16,000 hair cells in their inner ear. These cells pick up sounds and transfer them to the brain so that they can be interpreted into something that makes sense. Often, when people notice hearing loss that indicates that most of the hair cells are damaged. Between 30% to 50% of hair cells can be lost before a difference in your hearing can be measured through a hearing test. Once the hair cells in the inner ear are damaged, it’s permanent and they cannot regrow. 

Noise not only harms hair cells but also damages auditory nerves that transfer information regarding sounds to the brain. Early stages of damage may not appear on your hearing test results. 

There is no way to restore hearing that’s been lost. Preventative measures are the key. Wear earplugs or earmuffs if you are going to be in a loud environment or use loud tools. If you already have hearing loss, tinnitus, or experience pain/discomfort, be aware of your surroundings and protect your hearing so that it does not worsen. 

For better hearing and communication, contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation.  

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