Photo credit: Karol D from Pexels
by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist
I highly recommend the Summer 2021 Entertainment issue of Hearing Health. It includes a range of articles on noise damage to hearing and how to prevent it. Music risk is a focus from school band members to professional musicians.
But I admit I’m biased about this issue, because it includes my article on “The Danger in Headphones.” I wrote it from the perspective of an audiology parent. How did I teach my children about safer personal listening? What do I recommend to others? I prefer a proactive protective approach-including listening below 50% volume-because once hearing damage happens, it’s irreversible.
I’m happy to see the Hearing Health Summer issue report on the Hearing Health Foundation’s new public health campaign. It’s aimed at preventing hearing loss from noise among young people. The “Keep Listening” campaign has loads of online resources on how to keep listening safer, including videos and information about noise, hearing loss, and ringing in the ears or tinnitus.
Prevention is the key to protecting hearing from noise damage. I urge everyone to protect their hearing each and every time they’re exposed to harmful sound, by turning down the volume or using properly fitting hearing protection. Entertainment should be fun, safe, and keep the music sounding good.
Jan L. Mayes is an international Eric Hoffer Award winning author in Non-Fiction Health. She is also a science enthusiast and newly retired audiologist still specializing in noise, tinnitus-hyperacusis, and hearing health. You can read more of Jan’s work at her site, www.janlmayes.com.
