Hearing Loss: Warning Signs and How To Prevent Them

Anyone who enjoys music regularly has probably experienced a moment when the music just didn’t quite seem to fit. Perhaps you’ve noticed that certain songs sound off whenever you play them on repeat. This is called auditory pareidolia, or just plain audiophile hearing loss. While it can be caused by anything from poor hearing protection at work to chronic inner ear issues, the most common cause for this phenomenon is simply loud noises. Listening to amplified music without protecting your ears from sudden noises will only accelerate the damage, and it may not take long before you start to notice some changes in your ability to hear. If you frequently experience a moment of auditory dissonance whenever you listen to your favorite songs, don’t panic just yet! You could have auditory pareidolia – and there are ways you can prevent it from getting worse.

What is Auditory Pareidolia?

The hearing process is an incredibly complex dance of electronic signals in the ear that translates sound into neural signals. This happens incredibly quickly, so excessive sounds such as long exposure to amplified music, fireworks, or other loud noises can temporarily damage the hearing process. This is called auditory pareidolia or just plain audiophile hearing loss. It’s also known as “click over,” “tinnitus,” or “skipping.”

Once the loud noise wears off, the ear will be able to restore itself, but it may take some time for the ears to get back to normal. During this time, you’ll experience a moment of auditory dissonance whenever you play that song on repeat. It’s like the music sounds slightly off, causing you to quickly realize that you’ve been missing out on it all this time.

Warning Signs of Auditory Pareidrosis

• You frequently experience a moment of auditory dissonance whenever you play your favorite songs on repeat. You’ll notice that certain sounds don’t quite fit when you play them on a continuous loop.
• You often find yourself having to turn up the volume on your stereo or music player.
• You’ve noticed that noisy environments tend to make you miss out on important sounds, like when someone’s trying to talk to you.
• You’ve noticed that when you’re sleeping, your ability to perceive calls from loved ones has diminished.
• You’ve noticed that music sounds slightly off, causing you to realize that you’ve been missing out on it all this time.

How to Prevent Auditory Pareidrosis

Luckily, audiophile hearing loss is preventable! You can help to prevent auditory pareidolia by regularly wearing hearing protection while you’re working or doing activities that pose a risk to your hearing, such as using power tools or being near heavy equipment like bulldozers or jackhammers. You can also keep the volume of your stereo or music player under control at all times, and keep your environment as quiet as possible. Avoid loud environments, and avoid using headphones that boost the volume of the music even higher.

Why Does Hearing Loss Happen?

There are many different reasons why someone may experience hearing loss. According to a clinic for hearing aids and audiology in Smithfield, the most common reason is age; roughly half of the people between the ages of 40 and 65 will experience some degree of hearing loss. Less common causes of hearing loss include diseases in the ear itself, such as a ruptured eardrum, or problems with the auditory nerve. If you’ve noticed that your ability to hear has changed, it’s important to get it checked out as soon as possible.

Ways to Recover From Hearing Loss

• Wear hearing protection in noisy environments.
• Limit your use of headphones.
• Keep the volume under control on your stereo or music player.
• Keep your environment as quiet as possible.

Summary

Auditory pareidolia is caused by loud noises and can temporarily damage your hearing. If you frequently experience a moment of auditory dissonance whenever you play your favorite songs on repeat, you may have auditory pareidolia. You can prevent auditory pareidolia by regularly wearing hearing protection while you’re working or doing activities that pose a risk to your hearing, such as using power tools or being near heavy equipment like bulldozers or jackhammers. You can also keep the volume of your stereo or music player under control at all times, and keep your environment as quiet as possible. If you’ve noticed that your ability to hear has changed, it’s important to get it checked out as soon as possible.