How loud is too loud?

To understand noise induced hearing loss, we must look towards a critical part of our hearing process: hair receptors. In our inner ear, we have thousands of fragile little hairs that process sound waves and send them to our brain. We are born with these and throughout our life it is natural for them to deteriorate. These cells will not regrow, and they are quite fragile. This means that any damage done to our hair receptors lead to a permanent loss in hearing. Hair cells are sensitive to noises: the louder the noise, the more damage it does. While it is normal for them to break down, how fast or soon they go is determined by how we treat those cells. While most sounds are safe, certain intensities can cause damage. 

What noises cause hearing loss?

Noise is noise. The intensity, frequency, and decibels (or how we measure sound) all play a part in what our hair cells can tolerate and what is too much. This DOES NOT mean that we should avoid all noises. Most sounds are perfectly safe for our hearing. Different levels are damaging and harmful, so it is best to be aware for the purpose of protecting our hearing and preventing loss. We are exposed to noises everyday, each falling on a scale of what our receptors can tolerate. Essentially, how noise effects hearing loss can be broken up into three categories:

Level: This is the volume or intensity of the noise. Sometimes, for extremely loud noises, a one-time exposure can lead to hearing loss. Explosions, firecrackers, and lawnmowers have a higher level of intensity than a conversation.

Frequency: Regardless of the level, high or low, are you being continually exposed to this noise? Perhaps sporting events, a loud work environment, or music are repetitive noise exposures in your life (Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, 2022).

Distance: The relation of the noise in comparison to yourself. An explosion at a distance is vastly different then standing next to it. Likewise, earbuds bring noises in closer proximity than a small speaker across the room.

We can use these three factors to determine how they will impact our hearing. Luckily, we have a tool that can turn this information to practical use to understand where our limits are and what is appropriate.

Decibels (Db)

To decipher what we can do with all this information, rest assured that the answer is simple: we have a measurement tool called decibels that reliably dictate and show how loud something is. Decibels are a measurement of amplitude, or intensity, of a sound. Sound is energy, traveling in waves; decibels measure the force of that energy. Commonly put, decibels measure the volume of a sound.

Decibels do not grow at a constant rate. They grow logarithmically, or exponentially (What is a decibel?, 2022). This means that 3x3 does not equal 9, but rather 3^3 (or 3x3x3) is 27. A bit of a difference there! Any added noise increases rapidly. For those that aren’t math wizards, think of it like interest rates on a house or car: each incremental increase is compounded. They do not act independently, but rather feed off each other (What Are Decibels (dB)? | Loudness Levels, Safe, Unsafe, 2022).

Luckily, you don’t have to calculate these yourself. Below, we will showcase basic noises and where they fall on the decibel levels. From there, you can input what noises you hear in your everyday life and if they fall in the safe category or not.

For more specific measurements, you can do this yourself! One tool is a decibel meter, and it will give you a more specific idea (What is a decibel?, 2022). Apps are available on your phone to measure the decibel of noise exposure around you and help you understand the environments you are in. Feel free to give it a go to see the impacts of the noises around you!