- Hearing loss is second only to arthritis as the most common complaint of aging adults. Only about 10% of hearing losses are helped by surgery or other medical treatment.
- 90% of hearing losses can be treated with amplification devices. Only 16% of physicians routinely screen for hearing loss.
- Noise above 80-90 decibels on average over an eight-hour workday is considered hazardous.
- Firearms, music, airplanes, lawnmowers, power tools, etc., are louder than 80 decibels and potentially hazardous to hearing with prolonged exposure.
- A live rock concert produces sounds from 110 to 120 decibels. This is high enough to cause permanent damage to hearing over a 2-3 hour period.
- 28 million Americans are hearing impaired.
- There are more baby boomers aged 45-64 with a hearing loss (10 million) than there are people over the age of 65 with a hearing loss (9 million).
Call Western Michigan ENT at (231) 398-9536 for more information or to schedule an appointment.