The Importance of Hearing Test not only in Occupational Medicine

How long is too long when it comes to loud noises?

Hearing loss can become a serious issue as we age

More than one in every three Australians has sustained hearing loss

 from excessive noise.

Every day we’re exposed to noise, whether it’s from the TV or 

radio, traffic in the street or noisy shopping centres. While most of 

these noise levels are safe, prolonged exposure at a high decibel 

can damage the inner ear and cause permanent hearing loss.

But there are some simple precautions you can take to reduce your 

chances of hearing loss.

What’s a safe noise level?

Permanent hearing loss occurs when the inner ear is damaged by 

loud noise or wear and tear on the hairs or nerve cells of the 

cochlea. The cochlea sends sound signals to the brain and when its 

hairs or nerves are damaged, electrical signals aren’t transmitted 

the same way, causing hearing loss.

This damage can be done to your inner ear without the noises 

having been loud enough to cause you physical pain. Long periods 

of listening to loud music or being surrounded by machinery can 

cause hearing loss, just as can short bursts of loud sound.

So, how loud is too loud? As a rule of thumb, noise is loud enough 

to be bad for your inner ear when you must raise your voice to be 

heard over the top of it.

Many of the common activities we are exposed to everyday are 

loud enough to cause irreversible damage within a matter of 

minutes, as these guidelines set out by Australian Hearing show.

How can I tell my hearing’s damaged?

Struggling to hear people when they’re speaking to you in a loud 

place, or high-pitched tones sounding muffled, are common signs 

of hearing loss.

Many people also find themselves increasing the volume on the 

radio or television to a point where other people complain it’s too 

loud – another sign your hearing may be damaged. Talking on the 

phone can also become difficult and some people find themselves

 relaying on lip reading to catch words they can’t hear.

What are the other big hearing-loss risks?

Aside from prolonged exposure to loud noise or a one-off burst of extremely loud sound, there are other issues that can affect our hearing:

• A build-up of earwax can block the ear canal and cause temporary hearing loss. This can be fixed with earwax removal
• A ruptured eardrum, caused by a loud burst of noise, sudden changes in pressure, poking the eardrum with an object or infection, can cause permanent hearing loss
• Ageing can cause the inner ear to naturally deteriorate over time
• Tinnitus is a form of hearing loss, which can be temporary or permanent, caused by exposure to loud noises. Typical symptoms include a ringing, buzzing or roaring sound in the ears

What are the best ways to preserve my hearing?

Simple precautions can reduce your chances of hearing loss. These include:

• If using headphones, make sure noise levels are set to ‘moderate’
• If you’re consistently exposed to loud machinery, ensure you wearing ear plugs or ear muffs
• If you’re at a noisy event such as a concert or party, take a five-minute break in a quieter area every hour
• Take a hearing test. Australian Hearing offers a free online hearing test that takes less than 10 minutes to complete 
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Have you noticed your hearing changing over the years? Do you avoid loud noises?

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