Do High-Pitched Sounds Cause Hearing Loss?

Hearing is a precious and sensitive gift that lets us connect with the world around us. Because of its importance in our everyday lives, it’s essential to be aware of how prolonged exposure to loud noises and certain frequencies can damage our hearing. Despite its importance in our lives, we tend to avoid discussing our hearing loss concerns. Unfortunately, this can create a bigger issue. If you are worried about your hearing, or the hearing of a loved one, it’s important to ask questions, seek an evaluation, and gain information from a reliable and knowledgeable team. 

In this blog, we’ll discuss auditory damage, what frequencies put you at the most risk, and possible ways to safeguard your hearing. Don’t let the fear of hearing loss overpower your need to find resources. If you have questions about hearing loss, talk with a member of our team today.

How Does Prolonged Exposure to High Volume Damage Your Hearing? 

By now, most people are aware that prolonged exposure to construction noises or listening to the radio at maximum volume can cause damage to the auditory system. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you may be exposed to noises on a day-to-day basis and not realize the potential harm they can cause.

To understand better, it’s important to know that sounds are recorded in decibels (dB). Those decibels have a range from zero to a possibility of instant damage. For instance, the refrigerator humming or a ticking watch doesn’t affect your hearing at all, although the ticking watch might be a bit annoying. As the decibel level increase, the potential for damage does as well. Things like the washing machine or city traffic are right on the threshold of causing harm, but one step further – around the 80-decibel level is when things become alarming.

Using a leaf blower or some gas-powered motors can begin to cause damage after two hours of exposure. Attending sporting events, thanks to the buzzers, crowd, and other noises, increases your risk and can affect your hearing in as little as 15 minutes. And what about those construction noises or the maxed-out radio? Hearing loss is possible in as little as five minutes in those situations. Continue reading to learn more.

Cochlear or Sensory Hair Cells

Our ears have tiny sensory hair cells that turn sound vibrations into electrical signals that the brain processes as sound. These hair cells can get stressed and damaged when they hear loud sounds. The more loud the sound is and how long it lasts, the more stress the hair cells endure.

Temporary Threshold Shift

Being exposed to loud sounds for a long time can cause a temporary threshold shift or TTS, which is a brief loss of hearing. This can make you feel like you can’t hear well or that your ears are ringing, commonly known as tinnitus. TTS is generally reversible if we give our ears enough rest. But if we don’t take care, these temporary changes can become lasting, especially if we’re exposed to the same sound over and over or for a long time.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

When you are exposed to prolonged noise, you run the risk of noise-induced hearing loss. Specifically, continuous exposure to sounds louder than 85 decibels, like at concerts, from heavy machinery, or from using headphones for a long time at high volumes, can damage the hair cells and cause lasting hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss makes it hard to hear and understand conversation, especially in noisy places.

Understanding Specific Frequencies and Hearing Loss

The loudness or strength of a sound is important, but the frequency of a sound also affects our ability to hear.

Pitch and Frequency: The frequency of a sound, which is recorded in Hertz (Hz), tells you how high or low it is. Different frequencies have different effects on our ears. When heard for a long time, both high-frequency sounds and low-frequency sounds can damage your hearing. 

High-Frequency Hearing Loss: High-frequency sounds, like loud music or noisy workplaces, can cause high-frequency hearing loss if they are heard over and over again. When you have this kind of hearing loss, it can be hard to hear and understand words, especially in noisy places. People with high-frequency hearing loss may have trouble telling the difference between consonant sounds like “s,” “f,” or “th,” which can make it hard for them to communicate.

Low-Frequency Hearing Loss: Low-frequency sounds, like machinery or heavy traffic, can cause low-frequency hearing loss if you listen to them for a long time. This hearing loss can make it hard to hear low-pitched sounds and enjoy music or talk to people. It can also change how we hear the beat and bass in music, making it less enjoyable to listen to.

Hearing Loss Prevention

Now that you know the dangers of long-term exposure to loud sounds and certain frequencies, taking precautions to protect your hearing is important. If you are already concerned about possible hearing loss, the first step should be to talk with a member of our Hearing Associates of Las Vegas team. We can discuss your concerns, possible risks, and treatment options. Early intervention and understanding are essential to provide the best outcome. You can also work on protecting your auditory system by following a few of the tips below.

Use ear protection: Wear earplugs or earmuffs to protect your hearing when you’re in a loud setting or exposed to loud sounds all the time. Ear protection can make a big difference in how loud the sound is that gets to your ears, protecting them from damage. Additionally, if you have children, make sure they have headphones to protect them from the noise.

Limit your exposure: Take breaks from loud places to give your ears a chance to heal. This includes lowering the volume, limiting the time you wear headphones, or decreasing the concerts and sporting events you attend.  

Be aware of the noise levels: When using headphones or earphones, follow the “60/60 rule.” To avoid damage as much as possible, you should only listen at 60% volume for no more than 60 minutes a day. Finding a good mix between listening to music and protecting your hearing is important.

Consider using noise-canceling headphones: Noise-canceling headphones or earbuds can help block out outside noise and let you listen at lower volumes. By cutting down on background noise, these devices let you enjoy your music without having to turn up the sound too much.

Schedule regular hearing checks: This is essential, especially to determine your initial level of hearing health. Our team can discuss risks and prevention with you, as well as monitor your hearing and spot any early signs of damage. We use state-of-the-art equipment and testing to determine the extent of your hearing loss to provide treatment options.

Protecting Your Hearing Starts Today

Our ability to hear is something we shouldn’t take for granted. Long-term exposure to loud noises and certain frequencies can hurt our hearing health and even cause us to lose hearing. By knowing how loud sounds affect your ears and taking steps to protect them, you can keep your hearing and have a rich and lively auditory experience for the rest of your life. Remember that prevention is key and that protecting your hearing should be a daily goal.

Talk about your concerns, whether they’re about your hearing or the hearing of a loved one, today. We can offer sound advice to prevent further damage and support for navigating hearing loss that might already be present. At Hearing Associates of Las Vegas, we want to help you take the first step to optimal hearing health.