Hair dryers, lawn mowers, and vacuum cleaners.
These ar just some of the everyday items that are potentially loud enough to affect your hearing according to Consumer Reports. An estimated 30-million Americans have hearing loss. One reason is noise.
Consider a daily routine where you go to the gym in the morning, eat lunch at a noisy restaurant, then mow your lawn. That can add up and do damage over time.
Kids listening to mp3 players are particularly vulnerable.
Consumer Reports' Nancy Metcalf says, "An estimated 15% of American teenagers are showing early signs of hearing loss, which is very disconcerting. One reason is the tendency that people have to crank mp3 players really loud to drown out ambient noise."
To protect your ears, Consumer Reports says some mp3 players have a volume limiter you can set with a password. Otherwise, keep your mp3 player well below maximum volume. And consider ear protection.
Metcalf adds, "These little inexpensive foam earplugs, you can buy at drugstores, are highly effective at blocking unwanted noise."
But inserting them properly is the key. You have to roll the earplug in your hands. Then pulling up your ear, slide the earplug in. Using simple earplugs like this can significantly reduce your risk of hearing damage.
Consumer Reports' tests show noise-cancelling headphones and insert-type earbuds can also be helpful.
They help block out the background noise that causes people to raise volumes too high.