Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend maintaining environmental noises below 70 dBA over 24 hours to prevent NIHL.Īny sound at or above 85 dBA could cause damage to your hearing over time. It places more value on frequencies in the middle of human hearing and less value on low and very high frequencies. The main difference is that the dBA measurement takes into account the sensitivity of the human ear to different frequencies of sound. When comparing sound levels of different noises and their potential for causing hearing damage, A-weighted decibels (dBA) are often used instead of dB. Some symptoms of NIHL include difficulty understanding speech and needing to turn the volume up on the television. Since noise-induced hearing loss often occurs gradually, those affected may not realize until the damage is already done. More often though, hearing loss develops over time from repeated exposure to loud noise. A one-time exposure to very loud noise, such as a firework blast close to your ear, can cause NIHL. High noise exposure can damage the delicate hearing hair cells in the ear, causing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). 120 dB - Thunder, concerts, a jet plane taking off.90 dB - Hairdryers, blenders, power tools.80 dB - Police car siren, a noisy restaurant.60 dB - Normal conversation, dishwashers.40 dB - Refrigerator hum, a quiet office.20 dB - Leaves rustling, a ticking watch.
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