Two pages into the October 2008 issue of neatoday, I spied a half-page message stating "Nearly one in eight children suffers from noise-induced hearing loss."
It was just last summer that I was told my hearing loss in one ear was total and irreversible. While the causes will never be known, my doctors agreed that it probably wasn't due to my use of headphones with loud music. You see, my good ear is perfect. If listening to loud music with headphones were a major factor in my hearing loss, then both ears should have been effected.
However, I think earbuds will be a major factor in future studies of increased hearing loss among today's youth. When earbuds first became popular, I performed a test that I hope makes my point. My "test" began as I increased the volume to an edge-of-comfort level using headphones. I turned off my Sony Walkman, unplugged the headphones and replaced them with the latest technology now referred to as earbuds. I positioned the earbuds comfortably in both ears and turned on the Walkman. Remember, I had set the volume to be right on the "edge of comfort" level using headphones. As I powered up the Walkman, the resulting jolt of sound surprised me. My first thought was, "Ouch!"
I think future research on the history of hearing will find a strong correlation between the invention and use of earbuds and increased noise-induced hearing loss in today's population. Maybe today's youth would pay more attention to my "Turn Down the Volume" message if it were put to music. That's exactly what one rapper has done below:
I think future research on the history of hearing will find a strong correlation between the invention and use of earbuds and increased noise-induced hearing loss in today's population. Maybe today's youth would pay more attention to my "Turn Down the Volume" message if it were put to music. That's exactly what one rapper has done below:
As for me, I have stopped teaching music, and listen to nothing but talk radio these days. If you still don't think protecting your hearing is a big deal, imagine the difference only hearing with one ear can have on the rest of your life. Imagine never again hearing music in stereo, or having no ability to identify the position of a sound in space, because you've lost your stereophonic sense that identifies the location of a sound relative to your own position in space.
I can't tell you how many times an ambulance or police siren has seemingly come out of nowhere as my eyes scanned 360 degrees trying to find the source of the wail that was rushing toward me. In the recent wind storm, my ears consistently tricked me. As limbs and trees fell, I had to use my eyes to identify the crashing objects, as I've lost my ability to pinpoint sounds around me. Everytime I sleep on my good ear, I'm in greater danger of not hearing the baby crying, the smoke alarm, a neighbor ringing the doorbell, or the phone ringing.
Imagine losing your hearing, then keep it from happening by protecting the hearing you still have.
I can't tell you how many times an ambulance or police siren has seemingly come out of nowhere as my eyes scanned 360 degrees trying to find the source of the wail that was rushing toward me. In the recent wind storm, my ears consistently tricked me. As limbs and trees fell, I had to use my eyes to identify the crashing objects, as I've lost my ability to pinpoint sounds around me. Everytime I sleep on my good ear, I'm in greater danger of not hearing the baby crying, the smoke alarm, a neighbor ringing the doorbell, or the phone ringing.
Imagine losing your hearing, then keep it from happening by protecting the hearing you still have.
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