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Constant exposure to loud noise affects hearing because of the way our ears work. Sounds are transmitted as vibrations from the outer ear to the inner ear, or cochlea, then converted into nerve impulses. When noise is too loud for too long, cells in the cochlea are destroyed.

Continuous or repeated exposure to loud noise can cause permanent hearing loss. Noise in excess of 90 decibels (louder than a lawnmower or shop tools) is considered hazardous when exposure occurs several hours each day.

Protect Your Hearing
It makes sense to do everything you can to protect your hearing. The first step is obvious: avoid harmful noise levels. If you can’t do this, wear airtight hearing protection. Different kinds of earplugs, available from drug stores and sporting goods stores, offer protection from loud noise levels. Ask your hearing health professional which type of earplug best suits your needs.

There are warning signs that can alert you to excessive noise levels in your home or workplace. If you have to shout to be heard, the noise level could damage hearing. Sometimes, after exposure to noise, you may get a ringing or a buzzing sound in your ears. This is known as "tinnitus" and you can think of it as nature’s warning that noise levels are dangerously loud. You may also experience a decrease in your ability to hear certain sounds; this is called a temporary threshold shift.

Treating Hearing Loss
While a few types of hearing loss can be reversed with medical treatment, hearing aids can be useful in most cases. Today, there is a whole new class of hearing aids available. Not only do they provide better sound quality, they look better too. For instance, completely-in-the-canal hearing aids, like Unitron’s Sound F/X and Vista, fit completely in the ear and are almost invisible. A hearing health professional can demonstrate the complete range of hearing aids available to you.