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Your Healthy Family: Young people at risk of hearing loss

Posted at 7:59 AM, Dec 07, 2022
and last updated 2022-12-07 07:59:05-05

More than a billion young people around the world are at risk of hearing loss. But doctors say if changes are made now, hearing loss can be prevented.

The ability to hear is crucial to many aspects of your life.

"It allows us to stay social and involved and connected and it has been connected to cognitive decline," Dr. Sarah Sydlowski, an Audiologist with Cleveland Clinic, said.

A new study found that more than a billion young people ages 12-34 worldwide are at risk of hearing loss from listening to things like music and movies too loudly.

"We have one set of ears for a lifetime. Those delicate sensory cells currently can't be regrown, they can't be repaired. So really the only way we can prevent ourselves from hearing loss 100% of the time is to protect ourselves from loud, damaging sound," Dr. Sydlowski said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, limits safe noise levels at around 85 decibels over 40 hours a week. The study published in BMJ Global Health says people listening to MP3 files on a smartphone often choose volumes as high as 105 decibels. Dr. Sydlowski said to prevent hearing loss, we need to turn the volume down.

"If somebody standing next to you can hear what you're listening to, it's too much," she said.

In situations where you can't control the volume, like at work or at a concert, Dr. Sydlowski said to use well-fitting ear plugs. Some can even be custom made.

"There are certain devices that allow certain sounds in and block others," she said.

If you don't have earplugs, she said to walk further away from the source of the sound. Dr. Sydlowski also said there are sound level meter apps you can download on your smart phone that can help you stay at 85 decibels.