How long does it take for loud music to damage ears?

If you are wondering how long it takes for loud music to damage ears, you are here at the right place. 

All the noises we perceive are in fact only atmospheric pressure vibrations that hit our eardrums. It is only when they are transmitted to our brain that they are transformed into information. 

Depending on the energy with which the vibrations, therefore the sound, strike the eardrum, we hear the noise with weak or strong intensity. The more energy a sound has, the louder it seems to us. To be able to measure volume, we use the unit decibel – abbreviated as dB.

The lowest intensity sound that a human being can perceive is 0 decibels. Volumes around 50 dB are pleasant for our ears, while the level of discomfort starts at around 100 dB and the pain threshold is reached at around 120 dB. 

One thing is important to know: 100 dB does not mean twice as loud as 50 dB. The perception of volume is certainly always subjective, and it depends on the hearing capacity of each one, but in general, we consider that an increase of 10 dB corresponds approximately to the impression of hearing a volume twice as high. . Therefore, 60 dB seems twice as loud as 50 dB.

In noisy environments, it is therefore important to protect your hearing to reduce the noise factor that can cause hearing loss to a strict minimum. Some hearing protection products, e.g. ex. earplugs for music lovers can filter out disturbing and harmful frequencies.

How long does it take for loud music to damage ears?

One can listen to sound at 70 dBA or lower than that for as long as he wants. Sounds at 85 dBA can lead to hearing loss if you listen to it to them for over 8 hours at a time.

Exposure of the ear to noise:

Everyone has already had the reflex to protect their ears with their hands – whether it’s because of a siren or fireworks. This protection mechanism is entirely justified because even small exposures to noise can damage hearing in the long term, and cause the whole body to suffer:

– from 40 dB: possible learning and concentration difficulties

– from 60 dB: possible hearing impairment after relatively long exposure

– from 65 dB: 20% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease after relatively long exposure

– from 85 dB: exposure causing damage, especially in noisy workplaces

– from 120 dB: possible hearing impairment even after brief exposure

Who are the people at risk?

It is especially people who are exposed to certain sound levels on a daily basis who run the risk of suffering from hearing loss sooner or later. The continuous noise of drills, chainsaws, airplanes or music is present in many professional environments. 

Thus, forestry workers, road builders, and construction or factory workers face the same dangers as professional musicians in the orchestra pit or DJs who work regularly in discotheques.