Victor Saas, audioprosthetist in Bordeaux, explains to us how to preserve his ears in the age of generalized teleworking.
- 65% of teleworkers indicate that the daily listening time has intensified with the health crisis.
- As a logical consequence of this overexposure to noise pollution, 25% of them have sought information about their hearing over the past 12 months.
– Why doctor – More than a third of daily teleworkers have already experienced hearing problems following the use of devices (headphones, headphones), according to a press release from Audika. What advice would you give them to preserve their hearing?
Victor Saas- My first piece of advice is to take regular breaks. It is important to avoid excessive exposure to noise. I advise taking a few minutes of calm, every two hours, in order to rest your ears.
Then, it is essential to have good quality headphones, which isolate outside noise. Indeed, the goal is to be in a comfortable working environment and not be bothered by surrounding noises because this can generate fatigue. If we are in a noisy environment, we will want to force the volume of the headphones a little. If we stay like that all day, it can represent a risk.
In addition, as shown by a study carried out in 2012 by the National Institute for Research and Safety (INRS), it is mainly necessary to guard against very high noise, and for this, good equipment is essential.
Finally, paying attention to the sound level is essential. There is no universal optimal sound level, because everyone has their own personal comfort level. On the other hand, there is a reference that you must always keep in mind: 80 decibels over 8 hours. This is the limit not to be exceeded. The further we go beyond this level, the less we can remain exposed before it represents a risk. You should know that headphones generally go up to 90-95 decibels.
– Beyond teleworking, are there bad habits to lose for our ears on a daily basis?
The first bad habit to break is turning the volume up too high. I recommend setting the volume to 60/65% of the maximum level, to stay at a sound level that is safe for the ears. It depends on the devices of course, but the biggest danger is when you’re in a noisy environment, like on the bus or on the street, with devices that don’t cover outside noise at all. We will then raise the volume of the headphones to cover the surrounding noise to better hear his music, this is where it can become very dangerous. It is therefore necessary to think about protecting yourself in noisy environments and favor closed headphones. Noise canceling headphones are ideal. Headphones that have small silicone tips that close the ear well are also interesting.
– From when or what symptoms should we have the reflex to consult a health professional about his hearing?
This is a very important question, because indeed the answer is: immediately! If a problem is identified, such as tinnitus for example, an ENT specialist should be consulted immediately. For example, after a sound trauma, following a sound of great intensity, it is during the day or the next day maximum that you must consult an ENT specialist. There are emergency slots and care within 48 hours reduces the risk of having sequelae. Employers must make their employees aware of this issue.
