Hearing loss at work

• April 30, 2024

If he noise of your work forces you to raise your voice to be heard a meter away, it is likely that you are at risk of suffering workplace hypoacusis , better known as deafness .

The noise It is an unwanted sound. In the industrial environment, it can be continuous or intermittent and occur in various ways such as the pressure of a die or the hum of an electric motor.

Exposure to noise may cause ringing of ears temporary or permanent. If he noise has a longer duration, there is a greater risk to hearing loss or decreased hearing. In Mexico, the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) reports that 5% of its patients are affected in their hearing.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 130 million people suffer hearing damage incapacitating

The National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders of the United States (NIDCD) states that when we are exposed to harmful noise, the delicate structures in our inner ear, called hair cells , can be damaged, causing the Hearing loss .

Occupational hearing loss

The small sensory cells that are in our ear, are those that transform the sound energy into electrical signals that travel to the brain . When damaged, the hair cells they can not regenerate.

In this regard, recent studies have shown that exposure to harmful noise produces the formation of molecules within the ear that can damage or even kill such cells.

Prolonged or repetitive exposure to sounds of at least 85 decibels can cause hearing loss: the higher the noise level, the faster the Hearing loss .

Protect your hearing

There are three important factors for protect your ear :

1. Be aware of the levels of decibels what are you listening

2. Take care of the distance to the sound source and monitor the duration of exposure to the sound .

3. According to the experts, a practical rule is to avoid sounds that are "too loud" and "too close", or whose duration is "very long".

Remember that the Hearing loss It is 100% preventable. If you suspect that you are losing your optimum levels of hearing , it is necessary that you submit to a medical evaluation that you must perform a otolaryngologist or a audiologist .

Video Medicine: Hearing Loss at Work (April 2024).