Teenagers

We live in a noisy world. One in five teenagers are regularly exposed to high-decibel noise at rock concerts and nightclubs. About three quarters of people who go to nightclubs experience ringing in their ears afterwards. This condition is called temporary tinnitus and it usually lasts until your ears readjust to normal sound levels. 

Noise-induced hearing loss

Though your ears can handle the occasional concert, prolonged exposure to loud noise can lead to a condition known as noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Noise-induced hearing loss is responsible for 37% of all hearing loss. Today, 18% of older teenagers have permanent hearing loss, some with associated tinnitus.

Personal music players are among the chief culprits of NIHL among teens. Video games, television sets, movie theatres and even some appliances can make the environment too noisy for the average person. In fact, many experts believe that people are losing their hearing at much younger ages than they did just 30 years ago.

Play it safe

Experiencing tinnitus or having to yell to be heard is a sign that the environment you're in is too loud. As a general rule, if the surrounding noise forces you to raise your voice to be heard by somebody one metre away – your hearing is at risk. 

If you are experiencing ongoing tinnitus or are having trouble hearing sounds in noisy environments you may benefit from some form of hearing rehabilitation. Speak to one of our audiologists [link: Contact us page] about the various tests and treatments available. 

Ear-Plugs

Custom ear-plugs, which protect your ears from noise-induced damage without losing sound quality, are now available.