<!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } -->

One of the greatest tragedies that is plaguing society these days is the total disregard for taking care of our ears. People are constantly talking about losing weight and getting in shape, but they never talk about their hearing health. Recently, people have recognized the importance of wearing sunglasses to protect their eyesight and of wearing sunblock to protect their skin, but people still haven't begun to recognize how important it is to protect their ears from sounds that are too loud. As a result, many people are experiencing hearing loss these days.

Researchers have determined that sounds above 80 decibels cause permanent damage to the ears of those who are exposed to noises at that level. Unfortunately, many of the things that people love to do can reach decibel levels that are much higher than that. Often times, when people listen to music on their iPods, they aren't aware of how high they turn the volume up to, but at least they're inflicting the damage on their own ears. What's worse, is when unsuspecting and innocent people experience hearing loss at no fault of their own. One of the major culprits that can seriously harm young people in America these days, are marching bands. It's quite common that children and teenagers are forced to play in a band during their school years. And while there is much to gain intellectually from learning an instrument, there is much to lose from being exposed to loud sounds repeatedly. Scientists have determined that during a regular marching band practice, musicians are continually exposed to sounds that exceed 100 decibels, which is well over what is a safe level. It's terrible to think that unsuspecting children are being exposed to something that damages their health and that they aren't being educated about the topic so they can make a decision for themselves about whether they want to expose themselves to the risk of suffering from hearing loss.

If young Americans were aware of the risks they were exposing their ears to, they would have the ability to make an informed decision about whether or not they wanted to continue engaging in the same activities (like participating in marching band). When young Americans decide to remain in such situations, they should use protection in the form of ear plugs, to help drown out the noise to help guard their ears. For young people who experience a lot of noise at unhealthy levels, they may develop problems with their ability to hear. If you or someone you know thinks they are having difficulty with their hearing, visit a doctor's office where you can take a hearing test. It's important to rely on a professional to test your ears because they will have the proper equipment, training, and experience to identify if you have a problem and if there are any hearing solutions that may be able to help you. Take control of your health and the health of your child today so you can enjoy life more tomorrow.