Protect Your Hearing

October is National Protect Your Hearing Month—and these statistics from the American Academy of Audiology might surprise you:

Hearing loss is the third most common health problem in the U.S.
Approximately 36 million Americans suffer from hearing loss.
Although hearing loss is a common effect of aging, many Americans are starting to lose their hearing earlier in life as a result of exposure to noise.
More than half of the people with hearing loss are younger than age 65.

Does my medical plan cover hearing exams?

Your Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) medical plan covers annual hearing exams as part of your preventive services. (A small copay may be required, depending on your plan.) In addition, every 36 months, your plan pays the first $800 for hearing aids and rental/repair combined.

If a hearing screening shows that you have hearing loss, you may be referred to an audiologist—a health care specialist trained to evaluate and rehabilitate people with hearing loss and related disorders, including balance disorders and tinnitus.

What causes hearing loss?

Exposure to excessive loud noise
Ear infections, trauma, or ear disease
Damage to the inner ear and ear drum from contact with a foreign object such as cotton swabs, bobby pins, etc.
Illness or certain medications
Deteriorating hearing due to the normal aging process

Click here to take the Hearing Health Quiz!

What is noise-induced hearing loss?

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is caused by damage to the hair cells found in the inner ear. Hair cells are small sensory cells that convert the sounds we hear (sound energy) into electrical signals sent to the brain. Once damaged, our hair cells cannot grow back, causing permanent hearing loss.

Noise-induced hearing loss is 100% preventable. How? Wear hearing protection such as ear plugs and ear muffs when being exposed to levels of noise over 85 decibels (dB) for extended periods of time.

Untreated hearing loss can affect your ability to understand speech and can negatively impact your social and emotional well-being—hearing impairment can decrease your quality of life!

How can I protect my hearing?

Wear hearing protection when around sounds louder than 85 dB for a long time. There are different types of hearing protection such as foam earplugs, earmuffs, and custom hearing protection devices. Contact your local audiologist for custom hearing protection devices.
Turn down the volume when listening to the radio, the TV, MP3 player, or anything through ear buds and headphones.
Walk away from the noise.
And, other than hearing protection, do not put anything in your ear.

What are common examples of noise levels?

Here's a quick reference for levels of noise measured in decibels (dBs):

60 dB—Normal conversations or dishwashers
80 dB—Alarm clocks
90 dB—Hair dryers, blenders, and lawnmowers
100 dB—MP3 players at full volume
110 dB—Concerts, car racing, and sporting events
120 dB—Jet planes at take off
130 dB—Ambulances and fire engine sirens
140 dB—Gun shots, fireworks, and custom car stereos at full volume

Resources

UW Speech & Hearing Clinic

Fact Sheets (from American Academy of Audiology)

Noise Chart (from American Academy of Audiology)

UW DOIT: Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology

UW Occupational Noise and Hearing Conservation

Health Risk Assessment
Get immediate, confidential feedback on your health risks. Uniform Medical Plan enrollees will earn bonus awards! Take your HRA today.

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