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Facts About Hearing Loss



hearing loss

Life is enriched by the experiences we have through our five senses: sight, touch, smell, taste, and hearing. Our senses work together and enable us to learn and enjoy life. Hearing is especially vital; it enables us to communicate our wants, needs, and emotions.

You can't reverse hearing loss or eliminate all Sound Voids™. However, your audiologist can apply the appropriate care and technology to lessen their effects and improve the quality of sounds you hear. Unfortunately, many people suffering from a hearing loss are either unaware or ashamed of their condition, and therefore, do not utilize the advanced hearing aid technology that is available.

Defining Sound
The loudness of sound is measured in decibels. Pitch is measured in frequency of sound vibrations per second. A deep voice has a low pitch and frequency, whereas, a child's voice has a high pitch and frequency.

High-Frequency Hearing Loss
In the first stages of hearing loss, the high frequencies are usually lost first. Therefore, difficulty hearing or understanding high-pitched voices of women and children is one of the first symptoms. It is important to recognize that hearing someone and understanding them are two different things. High-frequency hearing loss distorts sound, which makes speech difficult to understand even if it can be heard.

People with hearing loss often have difficulty differentiating words that sound alike, especially words that contain S, F, SH, CH, H, TH, T, K or soft C sounds. These consonants are in a much higher frequency range than vowels and other consonants.

Degree of Hearing Loss
There are five levels or degrees of hearing loss. A person with normal hearing can perceive very soft sounds, whereas a person with a profound loss can only perceive sounds louder than 90 dB.

Decibel level of what we hear

10 dB - Normal breathing
20 dB - Rustling leaves, mosquito
30 dB - Whisper
40 dB - Stream, refrigerator humming
50-60 dB - Quiet office
50-65 dB - Normal conversation
60-65 dB - Laughter
70 dB - Vacuum cleaner, hair dryer
75 dB - Dishwasher
78 dB - Washing machine
80 dB - Garbage disposal, city traffic noise

Prolonged exposure to any noise above 90 dB can cause gradual hearing loss.

84 dB - Diesel truck
70-90 dB - Recreational vehicle
88 dB - Subway, motorcycle
85-90 dB - Lawnmower
100 dB - Train, garbage truck
97 dB - Newspaper press
98 dB - Farm tractor

Regular exposure of 100+ dB for more than 1 minute risks permanent hearing loss.

103 dB - Jet flyover at 100 feet
105 dB - Snowmobile
110 dB - Jackhammer, power saw, symphony orchestra
120 dB - Thunderclap, discotheque/boom box
110-125 - dB Stereo
110-140 dB - Rock concerts
130 dB - Jet takeoff, shotgun firing
145 dB - Boom cars

hearing lossPrevention
Avoiding loud noise may help prevent premature hearing loss and the perception of Sound Voids™. There are easy ways to identify if a particular sound is potentially harmful.

Do you have difficulty talking or hearing others talk over the sound?
Does the sound make your ears hurt?
Do your ears ring after hearing the sound?
Do other sounds seem muffled after exposure?

If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions, the noise may be damaging your hearing. Most people don't realize how loud everyday sounds actually are. Sounds above 85 dB are harmful depending on how long and how often you are exposed to them. The louder a sound is, the lower the amount of exposure is required to cause damage. If used properly, hearing protection devices can reduce the loudness of sound reaching the ears.
If you are experiencing symptoms of hearing loss, click here to take our self assessment hearing test.