What Was That? Check Your Hearing - Warfighter Wellness

What Threatens My Hearing?

The most common cause of hearing problems is noise exposure. Loud sounds can permanently damage your ears, especially if you’re around them repeatedly and/or for long periods of time. Ears contain delicate hair cell bundles. Their job is to translate sound vibrations into electrical signals that the brain identifies. When these cells are regularly exposed to loud noise, they can become damaged. This damage disrupts their ability to communicate with the brain and contributes to hearing loss.

As a Warfighter, your work environment probably exposes you to loud noises. Operational demands often require being near noisy machinery and weapons, such as large vehicles, aircraft, guns and explosives. These noises can occur while in combat, training or performing general job duties. No matter the setting, excessive noise exposure puts your hearing at risk.

How Much Noise Is Harmful?

Noise is measured in decibels (dB). Experiencing any sound above 80 to 85 dB can lead to ear damage and hearing loss. Your risk increases as the noise level and exposure time rise. Click on each decibel below to learn more.

Refrigerator humming: 30 dB

Normal conversation: 60 dB

Lawn mower: 90 dB

Motorcycle: 100 dB

Jackhammer: 130 dB

Gunshot: 160 dB

Sometimes it can be hard to gauge whether a sound is loud enough to damage your hearing. A quick way to test your environment’s noise level is whether you have to raise your voice to be heard by someone standing 2 to 3 feet away from you. If so, your surroundings are too loud and may affect your hearing. While noise checks are routinely conducted in operational environments, you can also use military-issued devices and free mobile apps to help you monitor noise levels, such as the NIOSH Sound Level Meter App.

How Do I Know If I Need My Hearing Checked?

Hearing loss often happens gradually, which makes it harder to recognize in the early stages. Many people don’t realize their hearing has worsened until it starts to affect their daily life. Other times, someone else may notice it before you do. If you relate to any of the following experiences, schedule a hearing exam. The sooner you get your hearing checked, the more it can be preserved.

Signs of Hearing Loss

Normal speech sounding muffled
Constant ringing or buzzing in the ears (e.g., tinnitus)
Trouble keeping up with conversations, especially in noisy places
Turning up the volume on your TV or phone more than usual
Difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds (e.g., alarm clock, birds singing)
Asking others to repeat what they said more often than you used to

If you’re still unsure, use this tool from the National Institutes of Health to determine whether you need to seek help for your hearing.

How Can I Protect My Hearing?

Maintaining your ear health requires routine care and proper noise defense. Use these tips to take care of your ears and protect your hearing.

Attend annual hearing exams. If you have signs of hearing loss, schedule an appointment as soon as possible.

Wear protective gear like earplugs and earmuffs in noisy settings (e.g., at a concert).

Avoid inserting cotton swabs or other objects into your ears. Use a damp washcloth to clean the outside of your ears as needed.

Lower the volume when watching TV and listening to music, podcasts or audiobooks, especially if using headphones.

Prioritize anti-inflammatory foods in your eating plan.

Take breaks from loud environments and high device volumes when possible.

Hearing loss isn’t always easy to recognize, but it has a major impact on your performance. Whether on or off duty, good hearing supports effective communication and emergency response. Protect your ears by reducing loud noise exposure and having your hearing checked regularly. Your unit’s safety and the mission might just depend on it!