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What makes men different from women? Well, a Chinese study suggests that it may be as simple as sensitivity to noise. The study titled Sex differences in noise-induced hearing loss: a cross-sectional study in China”, was published in the journal Biology of Sex Differences and found that men are at a higher risk of a noise-induced hearing loss than women.
Noise Induced Hearing Loss
There are sounds all around us. Some like the gentle tone of a windchime may induce calm and peace, however as sounds increase, they can become so loud that they start to damage hearing in an irreversible way. We collect sound with our ears, but for us to hear these sounds must travel to the auditory cortex in the brain where sounds are processed, and speech is deciphered. Our ears achieve this process via tiny hair-like cells within a snail shaped organ called the cochlea which is encased with fluid. As vibrations from sound travel to the cochlea the fluid vibrates moving the hair cells. These cells then transform the waves into electrical impulses which can be read by the brain, completing the process of hearing. However, when sounds surpass a safe listening threshold, the vibrations can become severe enough to cause the hair cells to shatter against the membrane walls which house them causing permanent damage or destruction and creating what is known as lifelong sensorineural hearing loss.
What is a Safe Listening Threshold?
The volume or loudness of sound is measured in decibels (dBA). Any sound below 85 dBA experienced for 8 hours or more can cause damage to the inner ear. As sounds increase in decibels, the time it takes for damage to occur shrinks quickly. In fact, for every increase of three decibels the time the ear can withstand without damage is cut in half. At 88 dBA it only takes four hours of constant exposure and so on. By the time a sound is measured at 95 dBA it can take under an hour and at 105 it can occur in under 15 minutes!
Study on Gender and Noise Induced Hearing Loss
To find out if men or women were more affected by noise induced hearing loss a Chinese study monitored 1,140 noise-exposed males and 1,140 noise-exposed females aged 18–60 years at a shipyard in eastern China between three months in 2018. The study found that at comparable noise exposure levels and ages, the prevalence rates of low-frequency hearing loss and high-frequency hearing loss in males were significantly higher than those in females. The prevalence of high-frequency hearing loss was 34.4% in males while only 13.8% in females – accounting for age, similar noise exposure (CNE) and other factors.
Why the Disparity in Noise Induced Hearing Loss Across Gender?
No one knows exactly why men are nearly three times more likely to develop hearing loss than women. One theory is that men are typically postured to be in louder environments, performing jobs in construction sites, manufacturing plants, law enforcement, military, and agriculture jobs in higher proportions.
Hearing loss at work
More than 22 million U.S. employees of all genders are exposed to harmful noise levels at work everyday. While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates that ear protection must be provided to employees at no additional cost, it is up to each worker to wear them diligently and correctly. Because a subtly loud exposure can take time to build up over days, weeks, months, and years, it is up to workers to take responsibility for their hearing health. This starts with understanding when your hearing is at risk—it’s not just at work either but for recreation or home projects as well.
Here are just a few examples of harmful sounds workers may experience daily:
- 90 dB: Lawn mower
- 93 dB: Belt sander
- 105 dB: Bulldozer
- 110 dB: Chainsaw
- 120 dB: Jackhammer
- 140 dB: Airplane taking off
Taking Responsibility for Your Hearing
Regardless of your gender, anyone is susceptible to noise induced hearing loss. We recommend doing an inventory of how you listen and the noise level in the environments you find yourself in regularly to determine when it’s best to wear hearing protection. If you suspect you do have a hearing loss, while irreversible it is very treatable. Contact us to find out more and schedule a hearing exam today.