More than 1 billion young people are at risk of hearing loss due to exposure to loud noise

A recent study revealed that 1.35 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of hearing loss due to the use of headphones with loud music and frequency in similar settings, such as concerts and nightclubs. The research, a systematic review that pooled 33 other studies, involved nearly 20,000 participants aged 12 to 34.

The article explained that so-called “unsafe hearing” are sounds with levels above 80 decibels heard more than 40 hours a week. To assess risk, the researchers found this level to be higher than what most Australian states require for industries to require noise protection, with the use of hearing protection, known as PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). .

The survey showed that the majority listen to sounds with levels of 105 dB in headphones, confirming that the rate of unsafe practices is considerably high: 24% of them listen to music on personal devices at unsafe levels and 48% in places of noisy entertainment. Decibels in nightclubs, events or live performances can reach 112dB.

The findings coincide with previous studies conducted by the National Acoustic Laboratories of Australia and the Cooperative Hearing Research Centre, and reinforce guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO): the body estimates that more than 430 million people worldwide already suffer from disabling hearing loss and the prevalence could double if prevention of the condition is not prioritized.

With this in mind, in 2015, the organization even launched the initiative Make sure you listen encourage young people to protect their hearing.

Who doesn’t love music, right? And for the researchers, if people want to continue to enjoy the pleasure of a good hit or a live show for a long time to come, the ideal is to protect their hearing now and adapt to the safety levels.

Noise or very high decibel music can kill the hair cells and membranes of the inner ear (a diagnosis called cochlear synaptopathy), and once hearing is lost in the process, there is no way to recover these cells . The article also pointed out that hearing damage is cumulative over time, i.e. worries about the future you, as the consequences will not be felt now, but in the coming years.

“Like the sun and our skin, we need to be aware of the risks to our hearing and take the necessary steps to protect ourselves,” compared Robert Cowan, Professorial Researcher of Audiology and Logo Therapy at the University of Melbourne, in an article on The conversation????????

The technology for safe hearing

As a suggestion, the expert recommended the use of ear protection sometimes during concerts, events where we usually stay for hours. It is also worth mentioning that, today, with the advancement of technology, mobile phones have alert software for when the volume is higher than the recommended level, both Android and iOS; on the iPhone, for example, you can not only control the volume and create alerts, but also change the brightness, which can be uncomfortable on the eyes — a recent survey indicated that Brazil will have nearly twice as many myopic people in 2040, the most of which will be today’s children against the excessive use of electronics.

A study published in iScience, even connected Apple’s AirPods Pro to hearing aids, such is their quality. However, specialists have caveats, as devices for recreational use shouldn’t be mixed with – or substituted for – those for clinical use. Learn more about this topic here!

“Unsafe listening practices are rife around the world and can put more than 1 billion young people at risk of hearing loss. There is an urgent need to prioritize policies focused on safe listening. The World Health Organization provides comprehensive materials to assist in policy development and implementation,” concluded the researchers. The study was originally published in BMJ Global Health????????

The post More than 1 billion young people may lose their hearing from exposure to loud sounds first appeared on Olhar Digital.

Source: Olhar Digital