DALLAS — As we navigate around multiple viruses and the dangers of extreme heat in the summer of 2022, we could be neglecting a health hazard that was a concern 50 years ago and has only gotten more dangerous.
In May of 1974, a WFAA story archived in the SMU Jones Film Collection reported on just how many dangerous noises one might encounter on Downtown Dallas streets. A jackhammer, a city bus, a police whistle – all noises above 50 decibels. An Environmental Protection Agency study to set noise guidelines found continuous exposure to noise above that threshold could cause hearing loss.
“He is going to go home noticing he has been talking loud all day,” said an EPA expert interviewed in the report about the effects noise could have on workers downtown. “If he is out here over a long period of time month over month, there would be a possibility his hearing could be damaged at this level.”
Fifty years later, our ears have not gotten any stronger and downtown streets are not any quieter. However, the standards and regulations have changed. The Occupational Safety and Health Organization standard says employees should not be exposed to environments about 85 decibels for more than 8 hours a day.
However, hearing loss today, particularly in younger people, is being blamed on a different culprit.
“We are seeing a preponderance of hearing loss in young adults and we think it is due to excessive use of headphones and earbuds,” said Dr. Sharon Miller, a professor in the University of North Texas Department of Audiology. “The World Health Organization says it is an epidemic.”
The output level on earbuds can sometimes exceed 100 decibels, a level that can cause hearing loss in a matter of minutes, according to Miller. Many smartphones will now give you a notification or warning when you’ve been listening at too high a level for too long a period of time.
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Miller said there are also a few tell-tale signs you could be doing damage.
“If you leave a noisy situation and your ears are ringing or muffled, that is too loud. If you have trouble hearing someone 3 feet away from you, you could be doing damage.”
A good set of noise-cancelling headphones are a good investment for anyone who uses earbuds or earphones according to Miller. Headphones that cover the entire ear do a better job of sealing out noise so you do not have to crank the volume up as high.
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