The hustle and bustle of modern society not only describes the mental state but has become a norm in our lives. Various noises in busy city life keep coming and going, and we are often unexpectedly bombarded by cacophonous sounds. If we fail to take precautions, prolonged exposure to noise can cause irreversible damage to our hearing.
In another article on the blog, we have already discussed the formation of hearing (Does Bone Conduction Really Not Hurt Your Ears?). Here, it is worth emphasizing once again that the hair cells in the inner ear, just like brain cells, are a type of nerve cells. Once a hair cell dies, it cannot regenerate. Therefore, if we frequently subject our hair cells to unnatural and extensive damage due to noise exposure, resulting in hearing loss, it becomes irreversible.
So, how can we protect our ears? We can start with a few small things:
1.Avoid wearing headphones, especially in-ear earbuds, in noisy public places. When the ambient noise is louder than normal, in order to hear the sound from the headphones clearly, you might choose to increase the volume to drown out the environmental noise. However, be aware that our ears have adaptability to the environment. Simply put, when you are in an environment with 70dB of ambient noise, in order to hear other sounds clearly, you would increase the headphone volume to 90dB. The brain helps actively reduce the interference of ambient noise and gradually adjusts to listening in this noisy environment. In other words, your ears will gradually adapt to a volume of 90dB. However, this volume exceeds the normal volume you usually listen to and slowly erodes your normal perception.
2.When making phone calls, be mindful not to place the phone directly against your ear. Phone calls may sound soft, but they can be very noisy. Various electrical sounds mix together. In such cases, try to use headphones to take phone calls (avoid using in-ear earbuds if possible). Don't underestimate this point. Many people who receive and make a lot of phone calls in their work are more prone to conditions like tinnitus if they are not careful, and the chances of recovery are relatively low.
3.Avoid listening to excessively sharp music. Listening to rock, death metal, or DJ music all day long is not advisable, although it's unlikely that anyone listens to music on a continuous loop for 24 hours. When attending concerts, if they involve rock bands or if the surrounding atmosphere is highly excited and roaring, remember to bring a pair of earplugs to block your ear canals. Although this may significantly reduce the concert experience, it's still better than subjecting your hearing to prolonged exposure above 90dB.
4.Stay alert in environments where sudden loud noises may occur. Firecrackers during store grand openings, loud music to attract customers' attention, regular collisions at construction sites, and so on. If you happen to be in these places, do not hesitate to cover your ears. It can help prevent acute hearing damage or temporary deafness.
5.Pay attention to boosting low frequencies. Nowadays, many headphones focus on enhancing low frequencies. Boosting the bass is not only for better audio quality but also to prevent excessive overall volume and protect your ears from injury in case you inadvertently increase the volume. The low-frequency reception part of the human ear is more tolerant compared to high frequencies. Once you get used to it, it becomes more friendly to ear protection.
Small tip: Open bone conduction audio products are designed to enhance audio. If you're not sure what to choose, why not consider getting a pair of VOCALSKULL!