Driver Lifestyles

Professional Driver - Protect Your Hearing!

Have you found yourself frequently saying "could you repeat that?"

Do you find it difficult to hear the other party on a phone call?

Approximately 28 million Americans--more than 10 percent of the population--suffer some hearing impairment. As life expectancy rises, so too will that percentage, as our ears have more time to succumb to the auditory assault of airplanes, jackhammers, power mowers, and other piercing prerequisites of life in the 21st century.

Chronic exposure to sounds above 80 to 85 decibels (dB), a measure of the intensity of sound, can permanently damage your hearing.  And the sources of these sounds are seemingly innocuous.

An electric razor emits 85 dB--more noise than a dishwasher or garbage disposal.  Blenders and other home appliances can reach 90 dB or more.  Cruising in a convertible with a blaring car stereo is equivalent to standing at the side of the runway while a jet takes off.

Of the 20 million Americans exposed to dangerous noise daily, nearly half are at risk on the job, including factory and construction workers, printers, firefighters, and, you guessed it,  truck drivers.

If you drive a large commercial motor vehicle for a living, you may need to make some tough choices down the road.  The American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal reports that the sounds made by a heavy truck can be noisy enough to harm your hearing.

Chronic exposure to sounds above 80 to 85 decibels (dB), a measure of the intensity of sound, can permanently damage your hearing.

The noise made by the truck itself is about 83 decibels (dB). The maximum safe noise exposure level over an eight-hour period is 85 dB.  After that, continued loud noises cause hearing loss.

So if you're driving the rig and turn on the radio, that increases the sound level by 2.8 dB.  Opening the window increases the sound level by another 1.3 dB.  And driving on four-lane highways increases the sound level, probably because of higher speeds, by 1.6 dB.

Federal regulations state that a driver must be able to hear a forced whisper in one ear, no less than five feet away.  But recent research by the Office of Motor Carrier Research and Standards states that the “whisper test” may not be enough to catch hearing problems among truck drivers.

The research evaluated truck cab noise for both temporary and permanent hearing loss, and concluded that, while an acceptable level of conversation and hearing can be achieved most of the time, the noise level in a truck cab hinders drivers from being able to hear sounds that are crucial to safe driving.

The study showed that CMV drivers might be hearing less than 50 percent of external warning signals, such as car horns.  High noise levels can also contribute to poor job performance and affect psychological and physiological functions.

Though truck drivers are exposed to a high level of noise everyday, there are ways to treat and prevent hearing problems to avoid endangering yourself and others on the road.  And if your hearing loss is not occupational, it could be caused by something else.

A University of Montreal study, using National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health data, also found that carbon monoxide exposure might contribute to hearing loss when combined with high levels of noise.

If you have hearing loss in one or both ears and are exposed to loud noises every day, your hearing loss is most likely occupational.

Once hearing loss has occurred, it can’t be reversed, so make sure you wear earplugs when you are using heavy machinery or shooting firearms for recreation. You can’t wear earplugs while driving, so make sure you protect your ears when you aren’t on the road.

Because hearing loss happens gradually, it's easy to ignore in the early stages. One of the first warning signs is a diminished ability to hear high-frequency sounds, which can result in what Maurice H. Miller, a professor of audiology and speech language pathology at New York University, calls consonant confusion.

"'Tin,' 'pin,' 'fin,' and 'thin' start to sound alike," Miller says. "You may develop tinnitus, a ringing or buzzing sensation in your ears."

"You find yourself watching lips more closely, asking people to repeat themselves--and feeling exhausted at the end of the day from the effort you've been exerting [just] to hear."

These symptoms may be indicative of either of two kinds of hearing loss.  One is conductive hearing loss--a middle-ear problem that occurs when sound waves cannot reach the cochlea, a tiny bone that connects with the auditory nerve.

The sound waves could be blocked by a buildup of ear wax, an obstructed ear tube, or an ear infection. Some antibiotics and other medications, even aspirin, can also be to blame. A high-fat diet can contribute to conductive hearing loss as well, by clogging your arteries and cutting blood flow to the inner ear.

Usually, conductive hearing loss can be treated successfully.

Another kind of hearing loss, presbycusis, is not cause-specific--and not curable. It occurs in the inner ear, when the cochlea is damaged. Miller says, "Although most people don't begin to notice presbycusis until it becomes acute--usually in middle age or later--it's detectable in your 30s."

Indicators of hearing problems:

*If your hearing loss has increased as you age, you may have ostosclerosis, which is hearing loss from aging and other factors. Schedule a hearing test, and be open to the possibility of using a hearing aid.

*If you have gradual hearing loss on one side, you have an acoustic neuroma, which is a tumor on the hearing nerve. Seek medical advice.

*If you have ringing in your ears and experience dizziness, nausea or vomiting, you may have Meniere’s disease or a more serious tumor. Some medicines can also cause ringing, so see your doctor.

*If you have a lot of earwax blockage, you could have ceruminosis, which can cause hearing loss. Have a doctor check your ears, but do not stick anything in your ear canal because you could damage the tissue. Ask your doctor about purchasing an earwax removal kit from your pharmacy.

*If you have gradual hearing loss on one side, you have an acoustic neuroma, which is a tumor on the hearing nerve. Seek medical advice.

*If you are experiencing pain, hearing loss, fever, cold symptoms or a “fluid” sensation in your ear, it may be due to a flu or cold. Take cold medicine, but if the condition does not get better, see your doctor, because it may be fluid buildup.

Hearing loss is a part of life, but if you are a truck driver, it is crucial to have routine hearing tests. If your company relies only on the “whisper” test, ask to be tested with a pure-tone audiometric test or another exam that measures more than just the ability to hear a forced whisper.

Things you can do to help protect your hearing:

* When you're listening to recorded music, never turn the volume control more than halfway up; and limit your use of headphones.

* Curtail the time you spend in loud environments--such as rock concerts or nightclubs--and in noisy activities like lawn moving or powerboating. When you engage in such activities, wear ear plugs or ear muffs.

* Be alert to danger signs. If you find yourself shouting to be heard, or if you notice a ringing in your ears, the noise level is too high.

* If you suspect a hearing loss, see your doctor immediately. You can locate an audiologist by calling the American Speech-Language Hearing Association at 1-800-638-TALK.