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The environment and your health

Home : The environment and your health : Noise

How to protect yourself from noise pollution

A girl wearing ear protection.

You can stop hearing loss from noise pollution. It is 100 percent preventable. To protect your hearing:

  • Know which noises can cause damage (those at or above 85 decibels)
  • Turn your music down, especially when using headphones
  • Wear earplugs or proper earmuffs when involved in a loud activity (special earplugs and earmuffs are available at hardware and sporting goods stores)
  • Be alert to loud noise in your environment
  • Protect the ears of children who are too young to protect their own
  • Make your family and friends aware of the dangers of noise pollution
  • If you think you have hearing loss, see your doctor or nurse. You should have a medical exam by an otolaryngologist (say: OH-toh-lar-in-goll-oh-jist) (a doctor who works on the ears, nose, throat, head, and neck) and a hearing test by an audiologist (say: AW-dee-oh-ol-og-jist) (someone who tests and helps people with hearing loss).

 

Content last updated July 20, 2010

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health.

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