(NaturalHealth365)  The World Health Organization (WHO) reports nearly 2.5 billion people will have hearing loss by 2050.  The same organization states that more than a billion young adults are susceptible to lasting yet avoidable hearing loss due to unsafe listening.

Though the prevalence of hearing problems heightens as one ages, trends clearly show that hearing loss is becoming a society-wide problem as technology changes.  Audiologists point to loud movies and music as two primary causes of this worsening public health problem.

Ears at risk: Navigating the perils of noise pollution

Hearing loss can occur when the volume of sound or noise reaches 85 decibels.  Though few know it, something as seemingly harmless as a washing machine is loud enough to reach 70 decibels.  Even traffic noise pollution heard while driving or riding in a vehicle often reaches 80 decibels.  Leaf blowers can easily cause hearing loss as they hit 90 decibels.

Attend a sporting event or rock concert, and your hearing will be at risk.  Such events reach between 100 and 110 decibels and remain at those levels for hours.  It takes merely two minutes of exposure to loud rock concert music to cause hearing damage.

A police or fire siren is a whopping 120 decibels, meaning merely being in the vicinity of either without earplugs can cause hearing loss.  Exposure to loud sounds of 132 decibels or higher for a brief period of time can cause permanent hearing loss.  Whether the sound is repetitive fireworks, gunshots at the firing range, or another loud noise, it only takes a couple of seconds to damage the eardrum.

Be aware of the threat posed by low-level noise

Moreover, even some low-level noise has the potential to injure the ear.  Sounds as low as 85 decibels are a legitimate threat to the human eardrum, especially if they are repetitive or last for a lengthy period.

As an example, someone who rides a riding mower or uses a weed whacker for a living and doesn’t wear earplugs will be susceptible to hearing loss.  The bottom line is the louder a sound is, the shorter the widow of safe exposure.

Strategies to guard against the threat of hearing loss

If you are a movie buff, do your ears a favor and reduce your number of in-theater viewings.  Resist the temptation to attend an ear-punishing double feature.  Watch movies through streaming services or on DVD at home, where you can control the volume as desired.

Music fans should be mindful of the volume when blasting their favorite tunes.  Instead of wearing headphones and earbuds, opt for home audio systems and always keep the volume at a reasonable level.

If you plan on attending a rock concert, sporting event, or other loud social gathering, put in earplugs to protect your sensitive eardrums.  Download a sound meter app on your smartphone to get a sense of how loud your surroundings really are.  Such apps include Decibel X on Android and NIOSH SLM on iPhones.

Sources for this article include:

Medicalxpress.com
WHO.int