Look after your ears - What can damage your ears?

You probably do not often think about your ears or about looking after them, but you should. It is very easy to damage your hearing.

This leaflet looks at the different ways you could damage your ears and hearing and how to prevent this happening.

The best way to look after your ears is to make sure objects and noises that can cause damage do not get into them.

• Loud noises - either exposure to short bursts of very loud noise or long-term exposure to loud noise - can damage the inner ear, making your hearing less acute.
  
   
• Objects, such as cotton wool buds, fingers, or the corners of towels may cause irritation, damage or infection.
  
   
• Water can carry bacteria that may cause infections.
  
   
• Untreated infections can cause permanent damage.
  
   
• Some drugs can damage your hearing . for example aspirin if you take it in high doses - or the antibiotics streptomycin and gentamicin.

If you think that you have an infection or blockage in one of your ears, see your doctor. Unless your doctor or ear specialist has prescribed eardrops, or you are using earplugs, you should never put anything in your ears.

Never put anything in your ears

This includes:

• Cotton wool buds. If you use cotton wool buds you may push wax that is in your ear down on to your eardrum where it can cause damage. In extreme cases, this may cause acute pain and deafness. Cotton wool buds also leave tiny filaments in the ear canal and these can irritate the skin of your ear. By using cotton wool buds you may actually increase the amount of wax your ears produce.
  
   
• Fingers or towels. Again, they may damage the skin of your ears and carry infection.
  
   
• Dirty water. This may carry bacteria that can cause an infection and can also block your ear temporarily. This is one reason why public swimming pools should be well maintained.

Noise damage

Loud noises can damage your hearing. Unfortunately, the damage is invisible and you may not be aware of changes to your hearing until years later. It is easy to think 'Oh, it won't matter,' or 'I'll stop if it gets painful'. The louder the noise is and the longer you are exposed to it, the greater the risk. If you have to be in a very noisy situation, always protect your ears with plugs or muffs and get away from the noise as quickly or as often as you can.

Ears are very delicate and complex. The inner ear contains thousands of tiny cells that process sounds and pass information on to your brain. Loud noises can damage some of the cells so that they stop working. Once this happens, there is no cure. A hearing loss can make a big difference to your life - it can be isolating because conversation becomes hard to follow. Damage to your ears does not just mean hearing loss. You may get tinnitus - persistent ringing or other noises in your ears - or become unusually sensitive to sound, which can be distracting and uncomfortable.

How to tell if sound is too loud45

If you cannot talk to people about two metres away without shouting because of background noise, that means noise levels could be dangerous. If you have ever been to a club or concert and found you cannot hear properly for a few hours afterwards, or if you have had ringing in your ears, that is a sign the sound was loud enough to damage your ears. You may already have developed a slight, but permanent, hearing loss. If the level of sound hurts your ears, leave.

Noise levels are measured in dB(A), a decibel scale that reflects the sensitivity of human ears to different levels of sound.
· 20 dB(A) is a quiet room at night
· 40 dB(A) is a quiet sitting room
· 60 dB(A) is ordinary spoken conversation
· 80 dB(A) is shouting
· 110 dB(A) is a pneumatic drill nearby
· 130 dB(A) is an aeroplane taking off 100m away
· 140 dB(A) is the threshold of pain

Sounds over 80 dB(A) can damage your ears.

Noise levels outside work

Remember that wherever you are, loud sounds can damage your hearing - in particular if you listen to them for hours at a time. Try to avoid them at home, or if you go out somewhere. Loud noise is a feature of everyday life, so you will not be able to cut it out completely, but there are some things you can do to reduce the risk of noise damage:

• Do not turn your television or sound system up too loud.
  
   
• Do not use your personal stereo at full volume.
  
   
• Always wear ear protectors if you are using noisy equipment such as drills, saws, sanders or lawnmowers.
  
   
• Reduce the time you spend in places where there is very loud music - or wear earplugs.
  
   
• Do not go shooting without the proper sort of ear protectors. Explosive noises can damage your hearing instantly.
  
   
• Complain to the cinema manager if a film soundtrack is uncomfortably loud.

Remember that damage done to your ears by loud noise from different sources adds up over the years. Looking after your ears now will be good for your social life later.

Noise levels at work

There are laws that aim to protect your hearing when you are at work. They are called the Noise at Work Regulations. They say that if you are exposed to loud noise at work, your employer must have noise levels assessed, and keep a record of the assessment. You will know that an assessment is needed at work if you have to shout to talk to someone who is about two metres away from you. You may also be concerned if your work involves listening to loud sounds through headphones or earpieces for much of the time.

Your employer's responsibilities

Noise at or above 85 dB(A)

If daily noise levels reach or exceed 85 dB(A), your employer must tell you about the risks, and explain how you can protect your ears. Your employer must also provide ear protectors for you to use and your employer must keep them in good repair.

Your employer must make every effort to reduce noise levels as far as possible, by modifying or replacing equipment and maintaining it regularly. Noisy machinery may need to be enclosed so that the sound is muffled. This is actually in your employer's interest, since wearing ear protectors at work may not always be comfortable or convenient.

Noise at or above 90 dB(A)

If you work somewhere with daily noise levels at or above 90 dB(A), or if sound levels ever peak at or above 140 dB(SPL), the law says you must wear ear protectors, and it is up to your employer to make sure you do. If your employer does not do this, they can be taken to court. Your employer must also keep the ear protectors in good repair and clearly mark Ear Protection Zones - areas where you must wear them. If you do more than one noisy job, this may mean you are exposed to loud noise for longer, which increases the risk of hearing loss.

Hearing tests

If you are exposed to high noise levels at work, your employer must arrange for you to have your hearing tested regularly, by experts. Your employer must keep records of the test results, make sure you are told about your own results and what they mean, and ensure that you get medical advice if you have a hearing loss. These requirements are covered by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations.

Health and Safety Executive

Contact the Health and Safety Executive for more information about your employer's obligations. They have produced a series of free publications about controlling noise at work and protecting your hearing. Tel: 08701 545500.
E-mail: hseinformationservices@natbrit.com
Website: www.hse.gov.uk

Taking action

• If you think you may have a hearing loss, or another ear problem, talk to your GP.
  
   
• If you are worried about noise levels, talk to the personnel department at work, Health and Safety representative or your manager.
  
   
• If there is a union where you work, ask them for advice. To find out more about joining a union contact the TUC. Tel: 020 7636 4030; Fax: 020 7636 0632. E-mail: info@tuc.org.uk Website: www.tuc.org.uk
  
   
• If you think your hearing has been damaged by noise at work, ask for a copy of the Department for Work and Pensions Ieaflets SD6 and DB1. You can get these from the Benefits Enquiry Line. Tel: 0800 882200; Textphone: 0800 243355.