Photo by Laurie Gaboardi, courtesy of David Owen
by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition
NPR interviews New Yorker staff writer David Owen about his new book, “Volume Control.” Owen makes several salient points:
- Hearing loss in old age is the result of cumulative noise exposure.
- Hearing loss doesn’t just affect hearing, but affects general health and function. People with hearing loss have more frequent hospitalizations, more accidents, and die younger.
- Hearing loss and tinnitus are the leading service-connected disabilities for military veterans.
- There is no cure for tinnitus and hyperacusis can be an even worse problem, without treatment or cure.
My advice is that you must protect your hearing. Because if something sounds too loud, it is too loud.
We only have two ears. Wear earplugs now, or hearing aids later.
DISCLOSURE: I was interviewed by David Owen for his The New Yorker article, “Is Noise Pollution the Next Big Public-Health Crisis?,” and I am acknowledged in his book.
