It’s National Audiology Month – Hear these tips!
Posted: October 3, 2013
Did you know that approximately 36 million Americans have hearing loss? One in three developed their hearing loss as a result of exposure to noise, according to the American Academy of Audiology.
October marks National Audiology Awareness Month and ATSU-ASHS‘ Audiology Department Professor and Chair, Tabitha Parent-Buck, AuD, provides these critical tips to prevent noise-induced hearing loss:
1.) Wear hearing protection when around sounds louder than 85 decibels (dB) for long periods of time. (Where “0” dB rating is total silence, normal conversation at “60” dB and a lawn mower, for instance, rates at “90” dB.)
2.) Turn down the volume when listening to iPods or other devices through ear buds and headphones.
3.) Walk away from loud situations or noises.
In all, if other sounds or conversations cannot be heard during each of these activities, or there is ringing of the ears after a sound is gone, the situation is loud enough to potentially cause damage to the ears!
Additionally, from October 26-29, one ATSU audiology student and students from other universities, as well as volunteer audiologists and physicians, will travel to Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico – 400 miles south of Phoenix. A local preceptor will travel with the group where they aim to provide critical medical and audiology care to more than 200 patients in two days. The mission trip, which is sponsored by the Mesa Baseline Rotary Club, will mark the 21st year that this group has made the trip to Guaymas!