What is NIHL?
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Noise-induced hearing loss is a major public health concern. It occurs when people are exposed to sounds that are too loud, or loud sounds which last a long time—either of which can damage the hair cells in our inner ear, causing NIHL. These hair cells are important for hearing, because they convert sound into electrical signals that travel to the brain. Once damaged, hair cells cannot grow back. The hearing loss is permanent.
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WHAT SOUND IS
At the simplest level, sound is vibration that moves through air and space.
HOW WE HEAR
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Sound vibrations enter the outer ear (the Pinna). These vibrations travel down the ear canal and pass across the eardrum (Tympanic Membrane) into the middle ear where the sound waves move the three smallest bones in the human body (the Malleus, the Incus, and the Stapes). These vibrations extend into the Cochlea, a small snail-shaped structure that is filled with a liquid that surrounds tens of thousands of microscopic hair cells. The movement of these hair cells stimulates the auditory nerve which then travels to the brain and is interpreted as sound.
FOUR WAYS TO
PROTECT YOUR HEARING
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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Links to learn more about healthy hearing and the prevention of NIHL
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The American Academy of Audiology is the world's largest professional organization of, by, and for audiologists. They are dedicated to providing quality hearing care services through professional development, education, research, and increased public awareness of hearing and balance disorders.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is a professional association composed of pediatricians and pediatric medical and surgical subspecialists. The Academy promotes optimal physical, mental, and social health for infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.
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Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) is the largest nonprofit funder of hearing and balance research based in the United States. We also promote hearing health, and the importance of protection, to prevent hearing problems before they occur.
It’s a Noisy Planet. Protect Their Hearing.® is a national public education campaign developed by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH. The campaign is aimed at preteens (children ages 8 to 12), their parents, and other educators with the goal of increasing awareness of the causes and prevention of noise-induced hearing loss.
Quiet Communities, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, promotes quiet as a valuable natural resource and works to reduce harmful noise and related pollution. Their Quiet Coalition program provides news, commentary, and advice on the science of noise and health.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) is the directing and coordinating authority on international health within the United Nations' system. WHO articles on Safe Listening https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/deafness-and-hearing-loss-safe-listening https://www.who.int/activities/making-listening-safe
