5 Myths to Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

1. My ears can build up a resistance to noise.

   FALSE: You can’t ‘toughen up’ your ears. Continued exposure to loud noises damages your hearing.

2. Noise can’t damage my hearing unless it’s painful.

   FALSE: Noise can start to damage your ears around 85dB, but for some, doesn’t become painful until it reaches 140dB+. There are a lot of noises in between those levels that can damage your ears.

3. I can pop in and out of loud environments briefly and not damage my ears.

   FALSE: Some noises that are loud enough only take one time to hear them to damage your ears. Many small exposures to these sounds can add up and cause similar damage as exposure to continuous loud noise.

4. My hearing will recover with a little time.

   FALSE: Once noise-induced hearing loss has occurred, it cannot be repaired.

5. My hearing will go back to normal if I get hearing aids.

   FALSE: Hearing aids will help bring back clarity and volume of sounds, but they cannot replace your natural hearing. This is why they’re called an ‘aid’ rather than a ‘corrective’ device, like eyeglasses are.