Too many decibels can make you deaf! Using headphones and going to nightclubs puts many teens and young people at risk of hearing loss, a new study has found.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 430 million people currently suffer from disabling hearing loss. Including ten million in France, and the number of cases then continues to increase with age, deafness affecting 6% of 15–24 year olds, 9% of 25–34 year olds, 18% of 35–44 year olds and over 65% of over 65s, according to Inserm.
- Exposure to noise is one of the main causes of hearing loss, according to Inserm. High sound levels irreversibly destroy hair cells (which are part of the auditory system) and damage auditory nerve fibers.
Between 670 million and 1.35 billion. This is the number of teenagers and young adults who, by dint of using their audio headphones or going out to noisy party places, unknowingly expose themselves to the risk of hearing loss, according to a new meta-analysis published in the journal BMJ Global Health.
Loudness higher than permitted levels
To arrive at such results, the researchers compiled 33 studies from different countries involving more than 19,000 participants aged 12 to 34, in order to determine how young people were affected by hearing disorders and to what extent their habits in music listening were responsible for the problem.
Their conclusion is clear: the sound is too loud! According to scientists, teenagers and young adults who use earphones or headphones often choose a volume around 105 decibels (dB) and the average sound levels in places of entertainment (discotheques, concert halls… ) vary from 104 to 112 dB, thus exceeding the levels recommended by the authorities (80 dB for adults, 75 for children).
However, data analysis indicates that the prevalence of unsafe listening practices related to the use of headphones and frequenting noisy places is common worldwide: 24% and 48% respectively among adolescents and young people. Based on these figures, the researchers estimate that the number of people aged 12 to 34 worldwide who could potentially be at risk for hearing problems ranges from 0.67 to 1.35 billion.
Hearing Health: “Promoting Safe Listening Practices”
By sounding the alarm bell, the researchers hope to challenge the authorities and bring about new public policies aimed at protecting hearing health. “There is an urgent need for governments, industry and civil society to prioritize the global prevention of hearing loss by promoting safe listening practices”can we read in a communicated.
French labor law, reminds Inserm, already sets tolerance thresholds on which we could rely: above 85 dB, exposure for more than eight hours requires protection; above 90 dB (like the sound of a drill), exposure should be limited to two hours; beyond 100 dB (jackhammer), do not exceed fifteen minutes of exposure; and past 115 dB (explosion, aircraft taking off…), even very brief noises immediately cause irreversible damage.
