In everyday life, we all live with two types mythologies: shared and personal. There are those myths that we believe because we were told them by other people and they just persisted. Consider the idea that not looking for something you lost too intently will make it easier to find. This is a common superstition among many people. We also have myths about ourselves. Unfortunately, these oftentimes entail a bit of a belief in our own invulnerability and can result in just about everyone not taking care of themselves the way they should. Hearing loss sometimes results because of this.
Individuals who rely on their hearing a lot oftentimes entertain myths that they have some sort of super hearing that normal people don't possess. While there is some variation among human ears, they are largely the same. If you're a musician, you have a developed ear, not a super-powered ear. If you're playing next to a drum riser every night and you have guitars blasting in your ears, you will eventually lose your hearing; count on it. Factory workers are oftentimes guilty of harboring this same idea, and it oftentimes costs them their hearing, as well.
Hearing loss myths also involve what constitutes a good way of protecting your hearing. If you're at the firing range and you have cigarette butts, cotton or bullets in your ears, you are not wearing good hearing protection. Only proper ear plugs offer useful insulation from the concussion waves produced by loud mechanical devices, whether they are guns, chainsaws, semi-trucks or large factory equipment. Don't kid yourself about this. You may well end up with hearing aids at a very young age if you do.
A shared myth among most people is that "loud" is an aesthetic term. You can actually quantify loud and, where most experts are concerned, it starts at around 90 decibels. Unprotected exposure to this level of noise will damage your ears. This is approximately the level of noise you get from a lawn mower and other common yard equipment. Loud is also not the same as unpleasant. If you're listening to music you love, you may well be pushing 100 decibels without knowing it. If you're listening to music you hate, it will probably sound like the loudest, most painful thing you've ever heard. Both will destroy your hearing. Loud is not the same as annoying and even something you love can be way too loud.
There is a myth about age-related hearing loss, as well, in terms of its severity. Provided you take care of your hearing, you shouldn't lose a huge amount of your hearing as you age. You might still need hearing aids, but you won't be approaching true deafness. What makes very severe hearing loss very common is the fact that people believe a myth that says that noise is dangerous only at excessively painful levels. If you're out mowing the lawn this summer, wear hearing protection. It's louder than you think.
Individuals who rely on their hearing a lot oftentimes entertain myths that they have some sort of super hearing that normal people don't possess. While there is some variation among human ears, they are largely the same. If you're a musician, you have a developed ear, not a super-powered ear. If you're playing next to a drum riser every night and you have guitars blasting in your ears, you will eventually lose your hearing; count on it. Factory workers are oftentimes guilty of harboring this same idea, and it oftentimes costs them their hearing, as well.
Hearing loss myths also involve what constitutes a good way of protecting your hearing. If you're at the firing range and you have cigarette butts, cotton or bullets in your ears, you are not wearing good hearing protection. Only proper ear plugs offer useful insulation from the concussion waves produced by loud mechanical devices, whether they are guns, chainsaws, semi-trucks or large factory equipment. Don't kid yourself about this. You may well end up with hearing aids at a very young age if you do.
A shared myth among most people is that "loud" is an aesthetic term. You can actually quantify loud and, where most experts are concerned, it starts at around 90 decibels. Unprotected exposure to this level of noise will damage your ears. This is approximately the level of noise you get from a lawn mower and other common yard equipment. Loud is also not the same as unpleasant. If you're listening to music you love, you may well be pushing 100 decibels without knowing it. If you're listening to music you hate, it will probably sound like the loudest, most painful thing you've ever heard. Both will destroy your hearing. Loud is not the same as annoying and even something you love can be way too loud.
There is a myth about age-related hearing loss, as well, in terms of its severity. Provided you take care of your hearing, you shouldn't lose a huge amount of your hearing as you age. You might still need hearing aids, but you won't be approaching true deafness. What makes very severe hearing loss very common is the fact that people believe a myth that says that noise is dangerous only at excessively painful levels. If you're out mowing the lawn this summer, wear hearing protection. It's louder than you think.
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