Approximately 40 million adults in the U.S. may suffer from a 100% preventable hearing condition – noise-induced hearing loss, according to the American Academy of Audiology.
In addition, approximately 30 million Americans experience tinnitus, the perception of noises within the ears or head without cause from an external sound. Although there is no cure for tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss, both are preventable with hearing protection.
To increase awareness of noise dangers and encourage hearing protection, the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology in the UTHSC College of Health Professions in collaboration with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville School of Music, created the Hearing Conservation Project, a program that provides educational messages and hearing screens to freshman students in the UTK School of Music.
“We wanted to provide early education to newly admitted students in the School of Music about the dangers of performing or listening to loud music and other loud noises, which can damage your hearing and cause tinnitus, with the goal that they may prevent it,” said Ashley Harkrider, PhD, professor and department chair of Audiology and Speech Pathology. “These students are often practicing music in small spaces with reverberation that can impact their hearing.”
Read more at our UTHSC News site.