The gist of the project was on determining what form of hearing protection really works best in noise. She tested active noise-cancelling head phones, passive noise-cancelling headphone, foam earplugs, cotton, hands over ears, and fingers in ears. Surprisingly enough, the best results were for putting your fingers in your ears.
An important part of her project dealt with researching at what point sounds become "too loud" and are actually damaging your hearing. Here is a chart showing the Maximum Recommended Noise Dose Exposure Levels:
| Noise Level (dBA) | Maximum Exposure Time per 24 Hours |
|---|---|
| 85 | 8 hours |
| 88 | 4 hours |
| 91 | 2 hours |
| 94 | 1 hour |
| 97 | 30 minutes |
| 100 | 15 minutes |
| 103 | 7.5 minutes |
| 106 | 3.7 minutes |
| 109 | 112 seconds |
| 112 | 56 seconds |
| 115 | 28 seconds |
| 118 | 14 seconds |
| 121 | 7 seconds |
| 124 | 3 seconds |
| 127 | 1 second |
| 130–140 | less than 1 second |
| 140 | NO EXPOSURE |
So, how do you know if the noise level is too high? If you have a smart phone, there are some new apps out there that work pretty well as sound level meters.
iPhone Apps:
1. dB Volume Meter
http://itunes.apple.com/us/
meter/id353432115?mt=8
(or http://tinyurl.com/6rtrbka if link is broken.)
2. TooLoud?
http://itunes.apple.com/us/
Android App:
3. deciBel SPL Meter
https://market.android.com/
search_result
(or http://tinyurl.com/7uqhf2y if link is broken.)
If you think that your hearing may have been damaged due to noise exposure, go to our website at www.utahhearingaids.com for more information or call our office for a free consultation with a Doctor of Audiology at 801-770-0801.
