National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Noise is the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Noise is all around you, from televisions and radios to lawn mowers and washing machines. Harmful sounds - sounds that are too loud or loud sounds over a long time - can damage sensitive structures of the inner ear and cause noise-induced hearing loss.
More than 30 million people in the U.S. are exposed to hazardous sound levels on a regular basis. Hazardous sound levels are louder than 80 decibels, which isn't as loud as traffic on a busy street. Listening to loud music, especially on headphones, is a common cause of noise-induced hearing loss. Keeping the volume down when listening to music and wearing earplugs when using loud equipment can help protect your hearing.
NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)