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August 21, 2005
From earphones to hearing aids
The generation that mocked their elders with "If it's too loud, you're too old," is singing a different tune. Only they can hardly hear themselves. Noise-induced hearing loss is escalating in the United States - and not just among senior citizens. Eighteen percent of baby boomers have hearing loss; meanwhile, 7.4 percent of Generation Xers have damaged ears, according to the Virginia-based Better Hearing Institute.
Overall, most of those who say "What?" so often that there's clearly a problem (65 percent) are below retirement age.
Excessive noise is the leading culprit, and audiologists suspect that the problem is fueled by the proliferation of devices with amplified sound, namely cellphones and MP3 players, such as iPods, which send noise directly into the delicate ear canal.
Over time, continued exposure to noise of 85 decibels or louder will destroy some of the fragile hair cells in the inner ear that respond to high pitches. One study of portable compact disc players found that volume ranged from 91 to 121 decibels. Earphones that fit inside the ear increase the volume by 7 to 9 decibels.
In Europe, iPods are legally capped at 100 decibels, but there is no U.S. limit on the volume of personal music devices.
By Chicago Tribune
Posted by 4HL on August 21, 2005 2:17 PM
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