You may fault workplace exposure for your hearing loss. But the problem could be daily sounds you encounter off the job. Learn more about the impact of daily noise exposure on your hearing.
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Unless your hearing is tested, it’s hard to know if it’s damaged. That’s the conclusion of a recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC analyzed thousands of hearing tests on adults and found that 20 percent of people who reported job-related noise exposure had hearing damage caused by everyday sounds. The damage, which appears as a distinctive drop in the ability to hear high-pitched sounds, appeared as early as age 20.
According to the CDC, too much noise exposure at home or in the community—from things like using leaf blowers to attending loud concerts—can damage hearing as much as working in a very noise place. Explained CDC Acting Director Anne Schuchat, “40 million Americans show some hearing damage from loud noise, with nearly 21 million reporting no exposure to loud noise at work. This can be distressing for people affected and their loved ones.”
The CDC study found:
- About 53 percent of adults with noise-induced hearing damage reported no job exposure to loud sounds.
- Almost one in four adults aged 20 to 69 who reported good to excellent hearing already had some hearing loss.
- About one in five adults who reported no job exposure to noise showed hearing damage indicative of general noise exposure.
- The presence of hearing loss increases with age.
Studies have shown that hearing loss is associated with anxiety, depression, loneliness, and stress. Chronic noise exposure has been linked to worsening of heart disease, increased blood pressure, and other negative health effects. CDC encourages doctors to ask patients about their exposure to loud noise and hearing problems.