Over 1 Billion Young People At Risk Of Facing Hearing Loss

Monday, November 21st, 2022 -- 9:24 AM

More than 1 billion young people could be at risk of facing hearing loss, a new study shows.

"It is estimated that 0.67–1.35 billion adolescents and young adults worldwide could be at risk of hearing loss from exposure to unsafe listening practices," according to the study, which was published in BMJ Journal last week. 

Recommended noise limits are no more than 85 decibels throughout a 40-hour week. Young people from ages 12 to 35 using devices such as MP3 players and cellphones, actively listened to content at 105 decibels, while the average noise level at entertainment venues was 104 to 112 decibels.  

A person's risk of hearing loss depends on how loud, how long and how often they are exposed to certain noises. A sign that you may have engaged in unsafe listening practices is ringing in the ears.   

Here are a few things you can do to protect your ears:

Take a break from the exposure if possible

Use ear protections, such as foam ear plugs, in loud environments

Put distance between yourself and the source of the noise, such as loud speakers at an event

Keep your devices at a safe volume. Some cellphones have features that will alert you when your content is too loud.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.