Protect your hearing during National Protect Your Hearing Month

October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, making it a good time to think about something many of us take for granted: our hearing.

Noise-induced hearing loss can develop gradually after repeated exposure to loud sounds. Concerts, sporting events, power tools, machinery, headphones, and even some everyday recreational activities can expose your ears to potentially damaging noise.

Unlike some temporary changes in hearing, damage caused by excessive noise exposure can be permanent. Fortunately, much of noise-induced hearing loss is preventable.

How loud sounds can affect your hearing

Inside the inner ear are delicate sensory cells that play an essential role in hearing. Repeated or prolonged exposure to loud sounds can damage these cells and other structures within the ear.

You may not notice the effects immediately. Early warning signs can include ringing or buzzing in the ears, difficulty hearing higher-pitched sounds, trouble understanding speech, or greater difficulty following conversations in noisy environments.

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 1 billion young people worldwide are at risk of hearing loss from unsafe recreational listening practices.

Simple ways to protect your ears

Small changes can make a meaningful difference in reducing unnecessary noise exposure.

• Turn the volume down. WHO recommends keeping personal listening devices below 60% of their maximum volume and, when possible, maintaining average listening levels below 80 decibels.
• Use hearing protection. Wear properly fitted earplugs or earmuffs around loud machinery, concerts, sporting events, fireworks, or other noisy environments.
• Move away from the noise. Increasing the distance between yourself and speakers or other loud sound sources can reduce your exposure.
• Give your ears a break. The louder the environment, the less time you should spend in it. Take quiet breaks when you cannot avoid prolonged noise.
• Pay attention to warning signs. Persistent tinnitus, muffled hearing, or difficulty understanding conversations may indicate that it is time to have your hearing evaluated.

Make hearing health part of your routine

You do not have to wait until hearing problems interfere with everyday conversations to think about your hearing.

A hearing evaluation can establish a baseline and identify changes that may otherwise go unnoticed. If you regularly spend time around loud sounds or have noticed ringing in your ears, difficulty understanding speech, or changes in your hearing, consider scheduling a hearing evaluation with a hearing healthcare professional.

Protecting your ears today can help preserve the sounds and conversations that are important to you for years to come.

Sources

World Health Organization. Deafness and hearing loss: Safe listening. Updated March 6, 2026.

World Health Organization. Deafness. February 1, 2024.