M.J. DeSousa, M.Cl.Sc., Aud. Drector of Professional Practice Connect Hearing

Question 1: What are the best ways to reduce the risks of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)?

Awareness. Consider your “daily noise dose.” To prevent NIHL, level and duration of noise and the amount of noise-free “rest” matters. Be aware of all of the sources of noise you encounter throughout the day. If you have encountered a significant amount of noise, give your ears a rest by spending some time in quiet. If you listen to music through headphones, set the volume so you can hear someone speaking to you from 3 feet away. If your favourite song comes on – turn it up a little but don’t forget to turn it back down.

"Many people fail to recognize that leisure activities are a leading cause of NIHL."

Question 2: From your perspective, what are the leading causes of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?

The leading causes of NIHL are changing. Today, we are seeing more NIHL due to recreational noise. For example, imagine “Holly” who gets up in the morning and uses her hair dryer, leaves her house wearing an MP3 player, turns up the volume while on the bus, she continues to listen to her MP3 player at work for much of the day. She goes to the gym for a Zumba class then goes out clubbing with friends. Holly has definitely exceeded her maximum daily noise dose and is putting herself at risk for NIHL

Question 3: Who is affected by Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?

Everyone is at risk for NIHL. We live in a noisy world. As you go through your day, are there situations where you have to raise your voice to be heard over the noise? Some examples include; hair dryers, MP3 players, cars (especially driving with the windows open,) lawn mowers, weed eaters, motorcycles, fitness classes, movie theatres, subways, walking on a busy street next to traffic, etc. If you find yourself in noisy situations like these consistently, you are at risk for NIHL.

Dino Sophocleous, CFRE President The Hearing Foundation of Canada

Question 1: What are the best ways to reduce the risks of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)?

The best way to reduce the threat of noise-induced hearing loss is to employ some simple safe listening practices. Turn down the volume on personal music players, the TV and other electronics that can be volume-controlled. Reduce the amount of time exposed to toxic noise. When listening to music, over-the-ear headphones are less dangerous than earbuds. In situations where volume and time cannot be controlled, stand as far back from the source of noise as possible, and give ears frequent breaks from the onslaught. Finally, whenever possible, wear hearing protection such as earplugs or over-the-ear devices.

Question 2: From your perspective, what are the leading causes of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?

Noise is everywhere and it’s difficult to escape. Industrial noise is a major cause of NIHL, and Canada has many laws in place requiring workplace safety to protect hearing. However, many situations such as leisure environments are not covered by such laws, including movie theatres, retail stores, dance clubs and concerts. One of the main causes of NIHL is listening to music on personal music players at high volumes and for long periods of time. Reducing noise in all areas of our lives is essential to promote healthy living and heal - thy hearing.

Question 3: Who is affected by Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?

Everyone. People of all ages can acquire some degree of NIHL. Our first consideration, however, must be our children who are exposed to loud sounds at an earlier age than any previous generation. Their leisure activities, school environments and their music-listening habits have created a dangerous breeding ground for NIHL.

Bill Hodgetts, Phd Associate Professor, Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, University of Alberta, Board Member of CAA

Question 1: What are the best ways to reduce the risks of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)?

Awareness. Most people don’t think that noise exposure is a risk to them. You see people wearing safety goggles and hard hats because they know that a piece of wood in the eye, or a blow to the head, will cause damage. Our ears don’t bleed, so people tend not to concern themselves with NIHL (often until it is too late). Increased awareness can lead people to avoid noisy situations, or better yet, bring inexpensive hearing protection with them so they can still have fun without damaging their hearing.

Question 2: From your perspective, what are the leading causes of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?

Many people fail to recognize that leisure activities are a leading cause of NIHL. As an example, when the Oilers made it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2006 we sent a few people to the game wearing a noise dosimeter. We found that these individuals were reaching their maximum allowable daily noise dose in only 6 min in that environment. Vancouver fans no doubt experienced the same types of exposures last year. Just because it’s fun, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be thinking about your delicate ears.

Question 3: Who is affected by Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?

All ears are susceptible to noise. As we age we become less tolerant of noisy environments. Aging leads to hearing loss, which leads to poorer hearing in noisey environments. So the older we get the more we tend to avoid noisy environments. There is a big push to educate young people about NIHL. Listening to iPods, going to clubs, riding ATVs are all fun. Nobody is saying you can’t do these things, just be aware that there are risks and learn to guard against them (turn it down, wear earplugs etc.).