Loud noises, especially high-pitched noises, are one of the most common causes of hearing loss. Preventing hearing loss starts with evaluating your daily life and determining whether you’re exposing your ears to damaging noise.
While it might not be feasible to completely avoid loud noises, anticipating situations where they might be damaging is the first step in preventing hearing loss. From gardening tools and heavy machinery to turning your earphones up past half-way, it’s surprisingly easy to overexpose your ears to loud noises. Even cruising with your windows down and your music up will affect your hearing over time. In general, you want to avoid being exposed to any noise 85 decibels or more for longer than an hour. Some intensities, like a gunshot or fireworks display, can cause hearing damage immediately.
Simple steps like using ear protection if you work in a noisy environment or wearing earplugs to a concert can make a big difference.