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 a devoted rider, you should know about a significant risk: research has linked this stimulating hobby to permanent hearing damage.
The effect of motorcycle speed and riding duration on hearing health was assessed in a comprehensive study performed by a hearing protection maker in cooperation with a notable German automobile association. Alarmingly, at speeds of 62 or higher, for just 15 minutes, riders who don’t make use of hearing protection can suffer permanent hearing damage.
Why do motorcycle riders get hearing loss?
While the concept of hearing loss might not come as a complete surprise, the leading culprit could. The greatest threat isn’t the roaring engine, contrary to the common belief, it’s actually the wind. Although helmets provide significant protection from injury during crashes, the research stresses that they fall short in protecting the rider’s hearing. The wind noise beating around the rider’s head isn’t reduced very much even when a helmet has extra padding, vents, or other modifications.
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 more intense your TTS symptoms will be with this progressive condition. People who are dealing with TTS may start to detect that their hearing is less clear or other minor symptoms. However, over time, this condition can advance to permanent and irreversible hearing loss.
Comparing wind noise with other noise levels
To comprehend the seriousness of wind noise while riding, the German study’s conclusions are illuminating. The wind noise around a rider’s head can reach 95 (dB) at 62 mph. Workers in Europe, for example, have to utilize ear protection by law if the volume exceeds 80 dB. Bikers are experiencing volume levels up to 19% higher than safe working environments when riding at this speed.
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 just 7 minutes of exposure. Other studies corroborate these findings, indicating that bikers are indeed at a substantial risk of hearing loss.
How to protect your hearing
Luckily, it’s simple to protect 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 advanced model that filters out high frequencies like wind while allowing lower frequencies to get in. This means you can hear crucial sounds like sirens, horns, and human speech, which are vital for a biker’s safety.
Furthermore, these modern earplugs allow bikers to enjoy the exhilaration of riding without feeling isolated or numb, a common downside of older protective devices. You can safeguard your ears from damaging wind noise while still enjoying the thrill of the ride by making use of 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. Considerable and permanent hearing damage can be caused by the noise of wind at high speeds. However, with the basic addition of quality earplugs, bikers can continue to enjoy their rides while safeguarding their long-term hearing health.
Call today to learn more about hearing protection so you can keep on top of your hearing health.