by Marina Shemesh

Created on: March 18, 2008   Last Updated: February 11, 2010

I-pods, cellphones, hedge trimmers and power blowers. They are all part of our modern technological advanced life styles. The other thing that they have in common is that they are all damaging to our hearing.

The ear is a sensitive organ that needs to be protected against loud noise. Unlike muscles that can be trained to work harder, ears cannot be made to get use to loud noises. The longer you are exposed to loud noises, the more your ears will be damaged.

We are able to hear because sounds sends waves into the air. These waves go through the ear canal, strikes the eardrum and vibrates it. These vibrations are transmitted by the small bones in our ears to the hearing nerve in the inner ear. In the inner ear the vibrations become nerve impulses. The brain then interprets the nerve impulses as music, a gunshot or a pen dropped on the floor.

A person gets deaf because the nerve endings in the inner ear get killed by loud noise. Dead nerves cannot be healed, the damage is permanent. This damage is called sensorineural hearing loss or noise deafness. It can also be caused by other factors than noise. The difference is that noise induced hearing loss can be prevented or reduced.

People have different levels of sensitivity to noise. Normal conversation is labeled at 60 decibels (dB). The scale goes from 0 dB to 180 dB, the noise at a rocket launch. A gunshot is measured a 140 decibels. According to the law, the highest noise exposure is 115 dB for 15 minutes a day. People who work with noisy machinery or at noisy workplaces where the noise average more than 90 dB in eight hours must wear hearing protectors.

Hearing protectors can be divided into two groups, ear muffs and ear plugs. Ear plugs are put into the ear canal to block the noise.
Ear muffs are also described as electronic hearing protection. The technology does not work on noise cancellation but different compression and filtration techniques. The ear muffs fits around the ear itself and are held together by a headband.

Ear muffs can be mounted on a cap with the option of adding glasses to protect the eyes. There is also bush guard hearing and face protection with a nylon mesh for operators of outdoor machinery like hedge trimmers or power blowers. It protects the wearer not only from the noise but also against flying debris.

Ear plugs can either be of the disposable kind (made out of foam) or reusable. The reusable ear plugs are made from a durable polymer that stays flexible and soft. Custom hearing protection are earplugs that have been especially made for a specific person.

A person must choose his hearing protectors based on factors like the noise level, comfort and the suitability of the protectors to the working place. Ear muffs are better where the noise starts and stops, like at a shooting range. It can be a bother to take out and reinsert ear plugs all the time.

Ear plugs are easy use, cheaper than muffs and more comfortable in hot and wet conditions. They do not however give as much protection as ear muffs and must be inserted properly. Ear muffs are easier to fit, they give more protection and have replaceable parts. They are also more expensive and less comfortable.

Whatever protection you choose for your ears, be sure to wear it. Once lost, your hearing can never be replaced.

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