Hearing Loss Causes

While some hearing loss is expected due to aging, most premature hearing loss is caused by exposure to excessive sounds, some chemicals and consumption of some medications. The following table lists the main "offenders" in each category. Excessive Sounds live rock bands (average 100 dB, 130 dB in peaks) stereo (lease-breaking party) (102 dB) riding a snowmobile (105 dB) running an outboard engine for a speedboat (110 dB) exposure to guns and hunting (115 Db in peaks) subway trains (average 90 dB) ambulance/police car sirens (average 115 dB) low flying jet aircraft (average 100 dB) model airplane engines (110 dB) vacuum cleaner (80 - 83 dB) industrial vacuum cleaner (92 dB) hammer (manual) (116 dB when nailing) circular saw (99 dB) chain saw (gas) (106 dB) lawn mover (gas) (92 dB) lawn mover (electric) (81 dB) snow blower (gas) (108 dB) Medications Antibiotics Streptomycin Neomycin Gentamicin Kanamycin Dihydrostreptomycin Tobramycin Amikacin Netilmicin Vancomycin Erythromycin Chloramphenicol Ristocetin Polymyxin B Viomycin Pharmacetin Colistin Ampicillin Diuretics Furosemide Ethacrynic Acid Bumetanide Acetazolamide Mannitol Analgesics & Antipyretics Salicylates (like Asprin) Mefenamic Acid Antimalarial Agents Quinine Chloroquine Anti-Neoplastic Agents Bleomycin Nitrogen Mustard Cis-Platinum Miscellaneous Drugs Polybrene Phenytoin Ethosuximide (Zarontin) Propranolol (Inderal) Oxprenolol (Trasicor) Chlorhexadine (Hibitane-Topical) Mandelamine Chemicals Carbon Monoxide Arsenic Lead Gold Aniline Dyes Potassium Bromate Oil of Chenopodium Nicotine Alcohol Information provided in the table has been reprinted from the Health and Welfare Canada document titled "Acquired Hearing Impairment in the Adult".

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