Dangers of third level students ignoring hearing loss
The Leaving Certificate results are almost here and all across the country, new and not-so-new college students are packing up and getting ready for life on and off campus.
It is well-known that close quarters with other students, late nights studying and partying, and lack of sleep can all take a toll on a student’s health. But there is one particular aspect of health that most college students don’t tend to think about: Their hearing.
According to the World Health Organisation , 1.1 billion teens and young adults worldwide are currently at risk of hearing loss due to unsafe noise levels.
Student life is particularly noisy
Just a look at a day in the life of a typical college student and you can quickly see why these young people are increasingly at risk. Students walk to and from class with earphones. After class, the same student might study with earphones or headphones. Next, our student might head off for a quick workout at the gym; even without earphones, that workout is likely to expose the person to dangerous decibel levels due to the loud music and ambient noise typical of most gyms.
After that, our student might go to a soccer or GAA game with friends and the reality is that enthusiastic crowds at matches can reach 110 decibels or more.
To end his day, our student goes to a party, where the music is at top volume.
Recipe for disaster
Previous studies have shown that as many as one in four third level students have hearing loss in the frequencies necessary to discern speech and a recent study by researchers at Massachusetts Eye And Ear has connected symptoms of difficulty understanding speech amid noise with ‘hidden hearing loss’, aka cochlear synaptopathy.
The study looked at students who reported regular exposure to high noise levels. For each subject, researchers measured the health of the auditory nerve and administered a speech-in-noise test. They found a relationship between the health of the auditory nerve and the performance in the speech-in-noise test.
However, among those students who reported the regular use of hearing protection, scores on both the speech-in-noise test and the measure of the health of the auditory nerve were significantly better.
What is hidden hearing loss?
So how is hidden hearing loss different than regular hearing loss? Regular hearing loss, the type of hearing loss often attributed to age or loud noise exposure, is typically caused by damage to the sensory nerve cells. These
sensory nerve cells are responsible for changing sound into electrical impulses.
Hidden hearing loss, on the other hand, is the result of damage to the connections between the sensory nerve cells and the auditory nerve fibres. What this means is that, while the sensory nerve cells are still doing
their job, the electrical signals have difficulty being transferred.
Dangers of ignoring hidden hearing loss
Loss of these connections contributes to difficulties understanding speech in challenging listening environments, and may also be important in the generation of tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and/or hyperacusis (increased sensitivity to sound).
Another difference between regular hearing loss and hidden hearing loss is that hidden hearing loss can occur long before any damage to the sensory cells occurs. It also is harder to diagnose, as it cannot be measured using a
standard audiogram. But there is one hint that it may be present: Hidden hearing loss tends to manifest itself in difficulty hearing amid noisy environments . Researchers are hoping the results of the study will allow the
development of better testing measures that can be used to detect hidden hearing loss.
Smart student living
So what can college students do to protect their hearing for the long term? To start, use headphones and earphones using the 60/60 rule: 60 percent volume for no longer than 60 minutes at a time.
If you are planning on attending a sporting event or concert, especially one held indoors in a noisy arena, a simple pair of foam earplugs will go a long way in reducing the potential damage to your ears.
If you are having trouble hearing conversation in challenging circumstances, and you think you might be suffering from hidden hearing loss, see a hearing healthcare professional and ask for a screening that goes beyond a standard audiogram. And remember: It is never too early to start taking care of your hearing.
Make an appointment
If you have any questions, feel free to consult one of our professional audiologists for advice at any one of our clinics nationwide. Call 1800 501 501, or see www.audiologymedicalservices.ie/
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