nother
day at work, another loud concert for UF junior Kristen Fortenberry to set up.
For Fortenberry, a regular day working at the O'Connell Center is a potentially
harmful situation, unless she wears protection—protection for her ears, that is.“I use the ear plugs I get from the O’Dome. They are a bit noticeable—fluorescent orange—and don't look that cool, but I've gotten over that. It's not always fun to wear earplugs, but I know the damage that can be done,” says Fortenberry, a film and media studies major.
When she doesn't wear earplugs, she can tell the difference. “I go to rock concerts or metal concerts and I'm standing near the stage,” Fortenberry says. “About every time I leave the building, my ears are hissing.”
That hissing sound in her ears is the sound of hearing loss. Although she may not notice a difference in her hearing today, it could catch up with her 10 or 15 years from now, according to Howard Rothman, Ph.D., undergraduate coordinator in the department of communication sciences and disorders at UF. Fortenberry is one of the lucky ones—she noticed the problem and started wearing earplugs.
Unfortunately, many college students haven't yet tuned in to the fact that loud
music and noises can damage their hearing. According to a study by Alice Holmes,
associate professor of communicative disorders in UF's College of Health
Professions, 17 percent of students ages 10 to 20 have lost some ability to
hear. By turning a deaf ear to the potential hazards of hearing loss now, you
may be clinching your fate for a Miracle Ear fitting later on. “I like to call young people an endangered species when it comes to hearing,” says Rothman. He points to rock concerts, athletic events, dance clubs, headsets and high-powered car stereo systems as cause for concern.
“Amplifiers and sound systems just keep getting bigger and louder. It’s getting harder and harder for young people to avoid loud noise,” Rothman says. “Many students don’t realize once the damage is done, it’s done. If we can identify those with a hearing problem, hopefully we can do something to prevent further loss.”
