GENERAL MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SOUND AND HEARING

Loud sound is not dangerous, as long as you don't feel any pain in your ears.

Not true: Our threshold for pain is at about 120 - 140 dB SPL, but sound begins to damage our hearing when it is above 85 dB SPL (for an 8 hour period).

Hearing loss after sound exposure is temporary.

Not true : Some of the hearing loss will be permanent. Indication of damage is ringing and noise in the ears (called tinnitus) after sound exposure. This is a clear indication that sound exposure took place. Another indication is the difficulty to communicate on the phone and in noisy restaurants or cafeterias.

If you have a hearing loss already, you don't have to protect your hearing any more.

Not true : Hearing loss accumulates. More exposure to loud sounds leads to more hearing loss.

Hearing loss is mostly caused by aging.

Not true : Research shows that accumulative exposure to loud sounds, not age, is the major cause of hearing loss.

Hearing loss can be repaired by medicine, surgery or hearing aids.

Not true : Certain improvements can be obtained by the use of hearing aids, however in the case of hearing losses inflicted due to noise exposure, the resulting quality of hearing will be far from normal. So far no drugs or therapy can correct noise induced hearing loss. This could affect your professional performance as a musician, sound engineer, medical doctor, air traffic controller, telephone operator, pilot, driver or in any other profession where performance depends on good hearing. Also, your enjoyment of music would suffer.

Loud sound damages only your hearing.

Not true : Loud sound can change your heart rate, vision and reaction time. It may make you more aggressive and in general, negatively affect you.

COPYRIGHT 3/28/2007 BY EXTREME SOUNDPROOFING INC.  .CONTACT WEBMASTER MIREILLE WEAR AT 858-483-5500 WITH ANY QUESTIONS.