Hearing protection is key to preventing hearing loss. In a world where we are being constantly bombarded by noise, it is no wonder that hearing loss is a growing problem. Studies have shown that sounds ranging from 85-90 decibels have the potential to damage your hearing – the same level of noise generated by a lawnmower. However, the good news is that with proper hearing protection, up to one-third of all hearing loss is preventable.

So what counts as hearing protection? The obvious answer to this question is the use of equipment like ear defenders in a noisy work environment (i.e. construction site) or wearing earplugs or muffs when mowing the lawn or using other loud equipment. Noise cancelling headphones for portable music players also count as hearing protection. These types of specialized headphones are specifically designed to block background noise, therefore eliminating the need to turn up the volume to unsafe levels. However, hearing protection doesn’t necessarily stop there. Taking preventive measures such as turning down the volume on televisions, radios and stereos, along with limiting your exposure time to extremely loud environments (i.e. music concerts) all count as forms of hearing protection. This would also apply to such actions like cutting down on how many noisy appliances you have running simultaneously in your personal environment. If you work in a noisy environment but don’t have earplugs or ear defenders, you should try to take “noise breaks” every 15 minutes or so. Noise breaks are when you leave a noisy location to find someplace quiet, in order to rest your ears.

To learn more about hearing protection and the various measures that you can take, consult with your local hearing specialist or your doctor.

Sources: Best Health Magazine, Wired.com, House Ear Institute, Better Hearing Institute