Sound waves travel through many different paths before they actually reach your ears.
If you have ever been present when somebody is using a hammer, you probably know what it’s like when the sound waves hit your ears, you consistently blink.
Or if you have ever gone to a music concert, you may have left with a certain ringing in your ears.
When you hear an exceptionally loud noise, your stereo cilia, which are hair cells inside of your ears, can become damaged.
This will make the stereo cilia mistakenly send sound information to your auditory nerve cells. The ringing happens in your ears because the tips of some of your stereo cilia cells have actually broken off.
The ringing is often just temporary, as you can grow these cells again within twenty four hours.
Part of the problem is that our ears will actually adjust to these loud sounds. If you are listening to your head phones for about an hour, you will notice that you will want to turn them up to hear the music better. This is because your ears have already adjusted to the sound level.
If you can give yourself a break for ten to fifteen minutes, you would be allowing your ears to have a break as well, and would not have to increase the level of the music.
Wearing ear plugs is another way you can protect your ears from damage. Wearing ear plugs doesn’t mean that the entire sound is blocked out anymore. Some ear plugs can actually mimic your own ear frequency, just toned down a little bit.
Sound is measured by units called decibels. Knowing what is and isn’t safe for your ears is an important way to prevent hearing loss. When you whisper, the normal decibel level is between 30 and 40.
Normal conversation is about 60 decibels. A motorcycle jumps to 90 decibels. This is when it starts to get a little too much for your ears if the sound is long and emitted, and can begin to cause hearing loss.
Other noises such as a diesel train, stereo head phones or a rock concert can carry levels of 110 to 120. When an airplane takes off, the decibel levels reach 140, and a shot from a gun or a firework, can carry decibel levels from 140 to 170. This is very dangerous for your ears.
Be alert to your environment, and make sure that you keep your ears safe. Our hearing is one thing we may take for granted. If you suspect you may have signs of hearing loss, make an appointment to see a doctor immediately.
