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Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

  • About
  • About
Overview
Causes
  • Noises that cause hearing loss
  • Which noises can affect hearing?
  • Preventing noise-induced hearing loss
Overview
Causes
  • Noises that cause hearing loss
  • Which noises can affect hearing?
  • Preventing noise-induced hearing loss

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

When the ears are exposed to extremely loud noises, or to prolonged loud noises, inner ear structures can be damaged, leading to noise-induced hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss (also called NIHL)  is quite common, affecting about one-third of the nearly 30 million Americans who suffer from hearing loss.

What constitutes a loud noise?

Noise, or sound intensity, is measured in decibels. Normal conversation levels occur at about 60 decibels. Anything above 120 decibels can harm the ears and lead to noise-induced hearing loss. Examples of noises that reach 120 decibels or above include firecrackers, gunshots, and motorcycles.

According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, noise is damaging if:

  • You have to shout to be heard.
  • Your ears hurt.
  • Your ears ring.
  • You have difficulty hearing for a couple of hours after the exposure.

What is pitch?

Another measurement of noise, pitch, is the frequency of sound vibrations per second. The lower the pitch (deeper sound), the fewer vibrations per second. Pitch is measured in Hertz (Hz), which means cycles per second.

Small children tend to have better hearing than adults and can hear sounds as low as 20 Hz (a large pipe organ) or as high as 20,000 Hz (a special dog whistle that most humans cannot hear). When hearing loss begins, a person will, generally, first have trouble hearing high-pitched noises.

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Condition Spotlight

Press Release Hearing, Hearing Loss, and Current Technology Watch Video
Stanford Hospital's Dr. Robert Jackler on Hearing Loss
Stanford Hospital's Dr. Robert Jackler on Hearing Loss Play Video | 1:18:46
Stanford's Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss
Stanford's Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss Play Video | 1:07:30

Clinics for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

  • Audiology and Hearing Devices Clinic
    650-723-5281
  • Cochlear Implant Center
    650-723-5281

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Noise-induced hearing loss, also referred to as NIHL, affects 10 million Americans with hearing loss. Learn the causes of NIHL with Stanford Health Care.
Types of hearing loss Noise induced hearing loss Noise and Hearing Loss noise induced hearing loss frequency NIHL noise induced hearing loss statistics noise induced hearing loss treatment noise induced hearing loss symptoms noise induced hearing loss facts noise induced hearing loss causes noise induced hearing loss tinnitus

Cochlear Implant Center
650-723-5281
Audiology and Hearing Devices Clinic
650-723-5281

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