Dave hears all about the ear. These could be early signs of permanent hearing loss. Constant or even occasional loud noises can damage your hearing beyond repair. More than 35 percent of the 28 million cases of hearing loss in the United States are caused, at least in part, by exposure to hazardous noises.
Hazardous noise can be anything from loud music to the sounds of a lawn mower.
To find out how hazardous a sound is, we measure its loudness in decibels , which tell us its power or intensity. The louder the noise, the less time it takes to damage your hearing. Many rock concerts are 110 dB or more. If you attend often, you can damage your hearing before you know you are in danger. The ear has three parts - the outer, the inner, and the middle ears.