Most people don’t think twice about the noise level of everyday activities. However, if you live in the US and are between the ages of 20 and 69, and struggle to understand speech in noisy environments, such as bars, cafés and restaurants, then it’s possible that you are one of the 25 percent of US citizens affected by noise-induced hearing loss.
According to research published in an early-release issue of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the noise of modern life causes permanent hearing damage to many US adults who don’t even suspect they’ve experienced a loss.
The Study & Key Findings
The CDC researchers analyzed 3583 hearing tests conducted on adult ages 20 to 69 in the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the most recent information on noise-induced hearing loss available. What they found was startling.
- One in four adults who believes his or her hearing is good or excellent actually has hearing damage.
- The presence of noise-induced hearing loss increased with age, with 19.2 percent of individuals 20- to 29-years-old displaying evidence of hearing loss compared to 27.3 percent among people 50 to 59.
- About 53% of adults with noise-induced hearing damage reported no exposure to loud sounds while on the job.
- 1 in 5 people who reported no job-related noise exposure had hearing damage in a pattern that’s typically caused by noise.
“About 20 million American adults have hearing damage indicative of noise exposure that probably comes from everyday activities in their home and community,” Anne Schuchat, MD, acting CDC director, said during a midday news briefing. “People may not realize these kinds of exposures can cause permanent damage.”
And while noisy workplaces are still contributing to hearing loss prevalence, exposure to sounds often heard during our daily life such as leaf blowers, sirens and live music are playing a large role.
According to the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health hearing loss is the third most common chronic physical condition in the United States and is twice as prevalent as diabetes or cancer.
“Noise is the most common modifiable environmental cause of hearing loss among young and middle-aged adults, and the most common self-reported cause of hearing loss among men,” according to the CDC.
Noise-induced hearing loss is often characterized by hearing loss in high frequencies (3, 4, and 6 kHz), with better hearing at lower frequencies, such as 500 and 1000 Hz. The frequency loss means the person affected might find it difficult to understand speech in noisy environments.
What can be done to prevent noise-induced hearing loss?
“Noise-induced hearing loss is a significant, often unrecognized health problem among U.S. adults,” according to the report. “Discussions between patients and personal health care providers about hearing loss symptoms, tests, and ways to protect hearing might help with early diagnosis of hearing loss and provide opportunities to prevent harmful noise exposures. Avoiding prolonged exposure to loud environments and using personal hearing protection devices can prevent noise-induced hearing loss.”
Sounds above 85 decibels can cause hearing damage when people are exposed for an extended period of time, according to the report. The CDC provided some examples of daily sounds that come close to or exceed this level, including traffic noise, which is estimated at 80 decibels, a sporting event can generate 100 decibels and causes damage after 14 minutes, and a siren is measured at 120 decibels of noise, causing damage after just 60 seconds.
Chronic exposure to loud noise has also been linked to increased stress, depression, blood pressure, heart disease incidence and other health conditions.
Another issue the report highlights is that 46 percent of those who notice some form of hearing loss do not visit a health care professional within five years.
Hearing loss progresses over time, so protecting your hearing with earplugs or avoiding noisy places as much as possible will be beneficial in the long run, the officials note.
Reference
- Carroll YI, Eichwald J, Scinicariello F, et al. Vital Signs: Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Adults — United States 2011–2012. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep.10 February 2017. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6605e3.