Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL): Symptoms & Treatment (2024)

What are the symptoms of noise-induced hearing loss?

There are a few things that could mean you’re losing yourhearing from loud noise. Depending on the cause of NIHL, symptoms may be immediate or you may develop them over time. Some of the most common symptoms of NIHL include:

• A feeling of fullness or pressure in your ear.
• Inability to hear high-pitched sounds, like birds singing.
• Muffled or distorted speech.

Symptoms can last minutes, hours or days after noise exposure ends. Your hearing may return to normal, but you still have damage. Your hearing may eventually come back, but continued exposure to loud noises can further damage your hearing and make hearing loss permanent.

What causes noise-induced hearing loss?

Noise-induced hearing loss occurs when loud sounds damage the hair cells in your inner ear. Once damaged, these cells can’t heal or regenerate (grow back).

Types of NIHL

The extent of hearing loss depends on what caused NIHL.

There are two types of NIHL:

• Acoustic trauma: Instant hearing loss that happens after a single exposure to a loud, forceful sound (like a gunshot or firecracker). In these instances, hearing loss can be immediate and permanent.
• Chronic NIHL: Gradual exposure to less forceful noise over time (like hearing damage from listening through headphones). You may go for weeks, months or even years before noticing symptoms.

What decibel level causes noise-induced hearing loss?

A decibel is a unit used to measure the degree of loudness or the intensity of a sound. Noises at or above 85 decibels (dB) can damage your hearing over time. A single loud noise at or above 120 decibels (dB) can cause immediate hearing loss.

Here are some examples of everyday noises and their sound levels measured in decibels:

NIHL risk factors

Anyone can develop noise-induced hearing loss. But wearing hearing protection like ear plugs or earmuffs significantly reduces your risk. You don’t have to miss out on concerts, fireworks and other things you love. Just be sure to give your ears a little TLC.

People who have jobs in noisy environments are particularly vulnerable to NIHL. Jobs and industries with the highest risk of occupational hearing loss include:

• Agriculture.
• Carpentry.
• Construction.
• Military.
• Mining.
• Oil or gas extraction.

What are the complications of noise-induced hearing loss?

When you can’t hear as well as you used to, it can have a noticeable impact on your quality of life. You might feel less sociable or more frustrated in general. Or you might feel tired all the time from straining to hear things in your surroundings.

In addition to hearing loss, NIHL can cause:

• Anxiety.
• Depression.
• Fatigue.
• High blood pressure.
• Hyperacusis.
• Increased heart rate.
• Insomnia.
• Irritability.
• Stress.
• Tinnitus (ringing in your ears).