subject: Need A Hearing Aid And Want To Find Out What Caused Your Loss? [print this page] A hearing aid need can be a shock for many people. How can it be possible that you are suffering from this type of loss? When did that happen? What caused it? Though many people have to face this type of limitation from time to time, it is critical to consider what steps you could have taken to potentially avoid such problems. Keep in mind that it is up to you to prevent this type of loss if at all possible. Though aging and hereditary factors are often the biggest contributors to this need, other types of causes are preventable.
Consider Sound Ranges
What sounds are you exposed to on a frequent basis? Sounds are measured in decibels. The higher the number of decibels, the more at risk you are for damage to the inner ear. If damage does occur, even from chronic exposure to moderate sounds, it is permanent. There is no way to avoid this.
A whisper has about 30 decibels of sound. That's not a problem for you at any range. Normal conversation is about 60. The sound of a washing machine is about 70. All of these are safe and there's no risk of damage to your ability to hear.
When you get to the 85 to 90 range, such as the sound of a power lawn mower or a hair dryer, sounds become more of a problem. Even heavy city traffic is at this range. If you ride a motorcycle, that is in the risk range as well at 95 decibels. A chain saw and rock concert come in at about 110 decibels where as the use of a hand drill or snowmobile is slightly less at 95. At this level, you are at risk of damage especially if the sound is frequent or sustained.
Then there is the injury range, which is anything over about 110 decibels. The sound of an ambulance siren is 120. At 140, a jet engine takeoff is a good example. This is also the range in which sound can cause pain. A 12-gauge shotgun blast hits significantly higher than this at 165 decibels. At 180, a rocket launch can be very damaging. In these instances, just one instant of the sound can cause loss if you are not protected and very close to the sound itself.
The good news is that wearing protection can alleviate many of these factors. Depending on the severity, you may be able to get some of your ability to hear back using a hearing aid. This is not always possible, though.
