338/365 - wired for sound...
Ironic, isn't it? That the devices we've invented to enjoy music to its utmost, may be the very instruments that destroy our hearing and rob us of ever enjoying music - or the sound of grasses stirring in the wind again.. Even when the volume is kept at a "reasonable level", listening to music through ear buds will eventually damage your hearing. Subtly at first, so that you turn the volume up just a little, and that louder volume damages the ear further, and so on and so on...
I had an issue with my ears several years ago, and it interfered with my hearing. And the ways that hearing loss affected me every day surprised me. Yes - it was annoying that the sounds around me were muffled and it was hard to understand conversations - but the way it affected my mood was more troublesome. And being in loud places like restaurants was nearly unbearable.. Instead of being quieter as I would have expected, the sounds were all piled up on top of one another, and it got to the point where I could barely understand the waitresses questions. Conversation with Jo Ann was difficult, and of course she couldn't understand why I didn't want to talk, and that led to problems.. I was irritable and cranky all the time (yes - even then!)
In my case, it was just an infection that eventually cleared itself up, but it made me appreciate my hearing in a way most people probably don't. They take their hearing for granted, and abuse it - assuming that the ringing will go away - that conversations will become clearer. And one day they will wonder why people ask them why the TV is so loud, and why the most common words out of their mouths is "Huh - what?"
365 - The 2010 Edition * December 4, 2010
338/365 - wired for sound...
Ironic, isn't it? That the devices we've invented to enjoy music to its utmost, may be the very instruments that destroy our hearing and rob us of ever enjoying music - or the sound of grasses stirring in the wind again.. Even when the volume is kept at a "reasonable level", listening to music through ear buds will eventually damage your hearing. Subtly at first, so that you turn the volume up just a little, and that louder volume damages the ear further, and so on and so on...
I had an issue with my ears several years ago, and it interfered with my hearing. And the ways that hearing loss affected me every day surprised me. Yes - it was annoying that the sounds around me were muffled and it was hard to understand conversations - but the way it affected my mood was more troublesome. And being in loud places like restaurants was nearly unbearable.. Instead of being quieter as I would have expected, the sounds were all piled up on top of one another, and it got to the point where I could barely understand the waitresses questions. Conversation with Jo Ann was difficult, and of course she couldn't understand why I didn't want to talk, and that led to problems.. I was irritable and cranky all the time (yes - even then!)
In my case, it was just an infection that eventually cleared itself up, but it made me appreciate my hearing in a way most people probably don't. They take their hearing for granted, and abuse it - assuming that the ringing will go away - that conversations will become clearer. And one day they will wonder why people ask them why the TV is so loud, and why the most common words out of their mouths is "Huh - what?"
365 - The 2010 Edition * December 4, 2010