H.E.A.R. deals with the problems and dangers of loud music. The fact is, concerts aren't the only place where the volume's on high. As a society we're increasingly using noise to create excitement. Everything's louder than it once was. From big screen movie theaters to video games, the volume's been pumped up.
Doctors say they're seeing hearing loss at younger ages.
Nearly 15 percent of young people 6 to 19 years old showed signs of hearing loss, according to a study published in 1998 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Another study found that hearing problems among those ages 18 to 44 grew by 17 percent over the last two decades. The louder a sound, the less time you can listen to it before it damages your hearing. There are tiny hair cells in the snail-shaped inner ear which convert sound vibrations into the electrical energy used by the brain to interpret sound. Once is all it takes- the damage is done, can't be repaired and builds up.