One billion young at risk of hearing loss from loud music – WHO

One billion young at risk of hearing loss from loud music – WHO

More than one billion young people risk damaging their hearing through listening
to loud music, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
The WHO estimates that around half of those between the ages of 12 and 35 in
middle- and high-income countries are at risk due to unsafe levels of sound on
personal audio devices or smartphones.
Another 40 percent are at risk from damaging audio levels at concert venues and
night clubs.
“More and more young people are exposed to unsafe levels of sounds. Young
people should be aware that once you lose your hearing, it won’t come back,”
said Shelley Chadha, a WHO specialist on hearing impairment.
The UN health agency considers a volume above 85 decibels for eight hours or
100 decibels for 15 minutes as unsafe.
Exposure to traffic noise at peak hours can reach 85 decibels.
The vuvuzela, a popular wind instrument used in stadiums during the football
World Cup in South Africa in 2010, has a sound intensity of 120 decibels and over
nine seconds of exposure could result in irreversible hearing damage.
“It is something we can live without,” Chadha said referring to the vuvuzela.
To counter the risks, the WHO recommends that personal audio devices should
not be used for more than an hour a day, at reduced sound levels.
The use of ear plugs in loud conditions and regular check ups were part of the
recommendations as well.
The WHO also wants governments to play a role by imposing strict regulations on
noise in public places.
The UN agency estimates that 360 million people suffer from hearing loss
worldwide. In addition to noise related causes and ageing, it is also brought on by
infectious diseases, genetic conditions, complications at birth, and use of certain
drugs.