I was talking on the phone with my friend Tim the other day and every few minutes he kept asking me to talk louder. The line was clear, no cell phones were used, I was talking just as I am right now and we were both in the comfort of our own homes. So it got me thinking, is it me or can he just not hear me? Well, the truth is that according to National Institute on Deafness and other Communicative Disorders, over 30 million Americans are exposed to hazardous sounds on a daily basis. And that constant exposure is giving way to a serious health problem called Noise Induced Hearing Loss.
Today we will learn about the National Health Problem sweeping the nations, begin to comprehend how the ear works and how we as humans hear, we will then break down sound in its relationship to hearing while figuring just how loud is too loud.
Loud music has long been attributed to Noise Induced hearing loss, but until recently it flew under the radar as a health issue for adults and elderly people. In the April 2005 edition of Pediatrics magazine, they state that an estimated 12.5% of children aged 6 to 19 years of age have noise-induced thresh-hold shifts. Noise-induced threshold shifts can range from needing to turn up the volume on your stereo to the beginnings of NIHL. The article also mentions that the previously cited percentage is almost a 40% increase since 1985. Although the statistics are alarming, Americans are still unaware because of a lack of information on Noise Induced Hearing Loss.
Noise Induced Hearing Loss as documented at nidcd.nih.gov says that "Noise-Induced Hearing Loss can be caused by a one-time exposure to loud sound as well as by repeated exposure to sounds at various loudness levels over an extended period of time." This means that one time of listening to something as loud as an explosion, or years of listening to loud music can have the same effect on our hearing. What is also alarming is that the symptoms of NIHL increase gradually over a period of time but I'll get into that a little bit later.
NIHL has several different forms ranging from partial deafness, tinnitus and total deafness. A person with partial deafness may never lose their hearing completely, and are often greatly helped with the use of a hearing aid.
Like I said before I was unaware deaf experienced audism. By educating others they will be more aware of this ongoing issue resulting in preventing audism from occurring. Another way to reduce audism is to spread the word to friends and family. Explain to them about this issue and have them spread the word as well. Lastly, if you see someone being an audist, kindly ask them to stop as well as explain to them about the damage they may inflicted on someone. This will be a learning experience for you as well as the other person
Mark started losing his hearing when he was about six or seven years old. This was manifested in confusion in music class, misunderstanding the words that the choir was singing, and discombobulation in noisy rooms. Eventually, it was noted that Mark’s hearing was deteriorating.
...o account that much of the evidence is the author’s own works, that a bias is present. Darrow strongly believes in the integration of students with hearing loss into the music classroom. She does however point out opposing views and successfully dismantles them with strong and sound reasoning. One of the points Darrow makes is that many people believe that music is a “hearing value” and that the ability to make discriminations about what a person might hear is solely a function of hearing, when in reality it is actually a function of listening. “Listening is a mental process; hearing is a physical process,” states Darrow. The music learning environment is a great place for these students to develop their listening skills. “The development of good listening skills allows students with hearing losses to use their residual hearing to the maximum extent possible” (Darrow)
“Music is perpetual, and only the hearing is intermittent,” wrote the iconic American essayist, poet and philosopher Henry David Thoreau, a lofty proclamation that inspired my focus to help those with hearing loss through restoration. After a winding journey in search for an academic focus, I discovered that audiology is far more than just aiding deaf or hard of hearing individuals, but restoring balance, managing loss through therapy, and discovering new research techniques that may involve auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder. After arriving at my destination, I also learned that it is my responsibility as a future audiologist to be a leader, to work hard toward achieving a better future for myself, and a better world for humanity at large. This vision drives my aspiration to join the University of South Florida’s graduate audiology program this coming fall, and continue my examination of clinical audiology as a member of your community.
The unit used to measure the intensity of sound is called the decibel(dB). Sounds that measure up to 75dB are considered to be in the "safe zone". Constant exposure to to sound at these levels are very unlikely to cause any lasting damage to long term hearing. The sound of regular volume conversation measures at around 60dB and the sound of a running dishwasher measures at roughly 75dB. Sounds around the 85dB level are considered a moderate risk to hearing. Exposure at these levels for extened periods of time may lead to some form of damage causing NIHL. Sounds at these levels include heavy traffic and crowded areas at 85dB, active subway stations at 95dB and listening to an mp3 player with ear buds at maximum volume at 105dB in which listening for just 15 minutes can cause permanent damage. Sound at 120dB and above are in the "danger zone". This level of sound is to be avoided at all cost as exposure even for a short pulse will lead to immediate permanent damage. This level includes the sound of ambulance sirens at 120dB, a jet taking off at 140dB and gunshots at 165 dB and above. (Rabinowitz,
Though some of the hearing community might take on an unknowingly negative approach on deafness due to a lack of knowledge, for those in the deaf community, their hearing loss is not a burden or a disability, but instead an important component of their identity and culture (Sanger-Katz). Many see being deaf as a positive attribute (Sanger-Katz). The motto belonging to the deaf community is “the deaf can do anything but hear” (“Deaf, not I...
According to Chapman et al., (2000), the loss of hearing appears to be a chronic issue through...
Hearing loss is a major global public health issue. Hearnet (2017) defines hearing loss as “a disability that occurs when one or more parts of the ear and/or the parts of the brain that make up the hearing pathway do not function normally” (para. 1). There are many different types of hearing loss, which can have multiple causes, giving each individual experiencing the issue a unique hearing loss case. These types include Auditory Processing Disorders, when the brain has problems processing sound information; Conductive Hearing Loss, a problem with the outer or middle ear which prevents sound making its way to the inner ear; and Sensorineural Hearing Loss, when the Cochlea or auditory nerve is damaged and cannot
Hearing loss affects approximately 17 in 1,000 children under the age 18. However, it is more common in older adults. Approximately 314 in 1,000 people over the age 65 have hearing loss issues. Hearing loss can sometimes be fixed but other main types of hearing loss can not be fixed. Hearing loss is a serious subject that affects many people throughout the world, young and old.
Hearing loss and/or hearing impairment occurs when there is an issue with one or more parts of the ear. Someone who has hearing loss may be able to hear some sounds or nothing at all. About 3 in 1,000 babies are born with hearing impairment, making it the most common birth defect (Morlet 2012). There are ways to determine if your child has a hearing impairment at birth, not to prevent your child from having a hearing impairment, but to determine if there is a possibility that your child may have the most common birth defect. Newborn hearing screening focuses on identifying hearing loss early (Listen 2013). In other words, if a newborn were to get a hearing screening shortly after birth, then there would be less percussions than if the parents waited to get a hearing test later on.
The current hypothesis is that one of my genes is a mutated gene, that mutated gene is what is causing my hearing loss. If this is the real reason why I have hearing loss, there is also worry for what other problems does this mutated gene cause. With finding a mutated gene, they will most likely be able to predict how much worse my hearing will get. Another possible but not likely cause is a tumor, currently, I have to get an MRI to make sure that there is no growth inside of my head. If there is a growth, that will lead to some serious issues. The last possible cause is that loud noises have damaged my hearing, but it is even more less likely than a tumor. I am almost never exposed to loud music, concerts, or anything of that nature, which would causes hearing loss. Since I've been losing hearing since I was 5, they have practically ruled that one out because it makes no
National Institute of Health. (2011). National Institute on Deafness and other communication disorders: Improving the lives of people who have communication disorders. National Institute on
Hearing loss is often overlooked because our hearing is an invisible sense that is always expected to be in action. Yet, there are people everywhere that suffer from the effects of hearing loss. It is important to study and understand all aspects of the many different types and reasons for hearing loss. The loss of this particular sense can be socially debilitating. It can affect the communication skills of the person, not only in receiving information, but also in giving the correct response. This paper focuses primarily on hearing loss in the elderly. One thing that affects older individuals' communication is the difficulty they often experience when recognizing time compressed speech. Time compressed speech involves fast and unclear conversational speech. Many older listeners can detect the sound of the speech being spoken, but it is still unclear (Pichora-Fuller, 2000). In order to help with diagnosis and rehabilitation, we need to understand why speech is unclear even when it is audible. The answer to that question would also help in the development of hearing aids and other communication devices. Also, as we come to understand the reasoning behind this question and as we become more knowledgeable about what older adults can and cannot hear, we can better accommodate them in our day to day interactions.
Weir, Kirsten, and Debbie Nevins. "Music And Your Mind.. (Cover Story)." Current Health Kids 34.1 (2010): 10-12. Health Source - Consumer Edition. Web. 9 Jan. 2012.
Those not thoroughly educated in communication tend to confuse the terms “hearing” and “listening.” Although they appear to mean the same thing, utilize the same body part, and are both required for functional communication, there is a great difference between these two actions. Hearing involves the perception of sound using the ears, while listening is based upon giving attention to the sound being perceived. Additionally, because these concepts are different, there are also several different ways of improving hearing and listening. Thus, there are several differences between these two concepts, and it is important to signify these differences in order to practice effective communication.