Motorcycle enthusiasts often cite the thrill of speed and the love for the open road as the driving force behind their passion. However, if you’re an avid rider, you should know about a substantial risk: research has connected this thrilling hobby to irreversible hearing damage.
The effect of motorcycle speed and riding duration on hearing health was evaluated in a detailed study performed by a hearing protection manufacturer in cooperation with a prominent German automobile association. The results were startling: bikers can suffer permanent hearing damage after only 15 minutes of riding without hearing protection at a speed of 62 mph.
Why do bikers get hearing loss?
While the concept of hearing loss may not come as a complete surprise, the primary culprit might. The biggest threat isn’t the raging engine, contrary to the common belief, it’s actually the wind. The research emphasized that although helmets provide critical protection during accidents, they fall short in safeguarding a biker’s hearing. Improvements to the helmet, such as added padding, vents, or weather stripping, do little to mitigate the wind noise swirling around the rider.
Regular exposure to extreme noise levels often leaves bikers with a condition known as temporary threshold shift (TTS). The more frequently you’re exposed to loud noise, the worse your TTS symptoms will be with this progressive condition. Initially, TTS sufferers may notice minor symptoms like a temporary reduction in hearing clarity. But permanent hearing loss can, over time, be the result.
Comparing wind volume with other noise levels
To understand the seriousness of wind noise while riding, the German study’s findings are illuminating. At 62 mph, the wind around a biker’s head produces noise levels reaching 95 decibels (dB). For context, European Union (EU) law mandates that workers must protect their ears if exposed to noise levels higher than 80 dB. This means that bikers traveling at this speed without ear protection are exposed to volume levels nearly 19% higher than what is considered safe in a work environment.
And the noise level only increases as the speed goes up. At 74 mph, wind volume can reach 98 dB, a level that can cause hearing damage after only 7 minutes of exposure. Many studies corroborate that bikers are indeed at substantial risk of permanent hearing loss.
Safeguarding your ears
The good news is, it’s easy to safeguard your hearing with earplugs. Most individuals are familiar with the old standard earplugs, but hearing specialists recommend the filtered versions instead. Filtered earplugs are a more sophisticated model that filters out high frequencies like wind while allowing lower frequencies to get through. It’s crucial for bikers to still be able to hear important sounds like human voices, sirens, and car horns.
Bikers are also able to get the complete experience of riding without feeling isolated or cut off from the outside world which can’t be said for the old traditional style. You can safeguard your ears from damaging wind noise while still experiencing the thrill of the ride by utilizing filtered earplugs.
While the passion for motorcycling is motivated by the allure of speed and freedom, it’s crucial to acknowledge and mitigate the associated risks to your hearing. The wind noise generated at high speeds can cause significant and permanent hearing damage in a very short time period. However, with the simple addition of quality earplugs, bikers can continue to enjoy their rides while safeguarding their long-term hearing health.
Stay on top of your hearing health by calling us to discuss hearing protection.
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