Frequent or continuous exposure to loud noise can cause irreversible hearing damage, though it may not show up until a later age. In addition to hearing damage, other health issues may appear, such as tinnitus (ringing in the ears), hypersensitivity to sound, high blood pressure and early hearing impairment. That is why wearing ear plugs is enormously important.

This overview shows the types of situations that put your hearing at risk. It is important to know that at sound levels from 110 dB and up, you run the risk of permanent hearing damage almost immediately. At lower sound volumes (80-110 dB) the risk of hearing damage depends on the length of time for which you are exposed to the noise.Important! The decibel scale is logarithmic. Each increase of 3 decibels (dB) equates to a doubling of noise energy or sound pressure, and halves the safe exposure time until the sound volume starts damaging your hearing.