TURN THAT THING DOWN!

If someone is wearing headphones and you can still hear the music, then "that's too loud," said Carol Thiehle, audiologist at Cape Girardeau Audiology.

"Music from headphones shouldn't be audible to another person," she said.

Continued or repeated exposure to loud music and other noises can damage the tiny hairs in the inner ear that transmit sound signals to the brain. Even if only a small number of the hairs are damaged, hearing can be affected.

In 1970 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) developed a scale which indicates the length of time a person can listen to a given decibel before experiencing hearing loss or damage. Ranges reach from 80 decibels or less for eight hours a day to 115 decibels for less than 15 minutes. Decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, so the sound of a rock concert at 120 decibels has 1,000 times the intensity of a motorcycle at 90 decibels.

"Listening to any noise over 90 decibels for extended periods can cause permanent hearing loss," said Tommie Elkins of America's Best Center for Hearing Aids.

Considering rock concerts often last for two hours or more and audience members rarely wear any type of hearing protection, it isn't difficult to imagine the extent of hearing damage that could develop.

After leaving a concert, many experience tinnitus, which is a ringing in the ears. Although the condition usually goes away, it is an early warning sign of hearing damage and loss.

Once hearing has been damaged, not a lot can be done.

Research has been conducted into microscopic hair cell regeneration, but efforts have not proved successful. Some type of hearing aid may be the only option.

So why do we expose ourselves to these dangers? People often listen to headphones in places where the background noise level is already high. By turning up the volume they block out the background noise.

Others want that "natural high" that comes from listening to loud music.

That "high" is the body's reaction to the intensity level. Blood pressure rises, heart rate and breathing increase, muscles tense and hormonal output increases.

Another common teenage practice seems to be turning the car stereo volume to its highest. Loud music hinders the ability of the driver to perform at his best. Sirens or other warning sounds may not be audible. As the body begins to respond to the loud tones, the driver's mood can be affected making him a less than patient driver.

If you choose to listen to loud music, keep one thing in mind. Just because you enjoy those loud sounds doesn't mean everyone else does. Don't be surprised if you find the police at your door charging you with noise pollution. Most cities, Cape Girardeau included, have ordinances that restrict sound levels.