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Aging ears getting younger

Tue., July 9, 2013

Congratulations and thanks for The Spokesman-Review’s July 1 article on the threat to hearing from noisy appliances. I am concerned, though, that the article is somewhat misleading.

It states, correctly, that noisy appliances are a threat to “aging” ears. That’s true, but excess noise – from appliances or anything else – are a threat to hearing at any age. We have come through two, or maybe three, generations of people who think that intense, distorted sound is desirable.

So, what happened? The hearing of today’s 18-year-olds is the same as the hearing of yesterday’s 40-year-olds.

Sanford Gerber, Ph.D.

Spokane

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