{"id":2623,"date":"2021-09-10T18:59:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-10T22:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.entofathens.com\/?p=2623"},"modified":"2021-09-13T19:13:21","modified_gmt":"2021-09-13T23:13:21","slug":"do-sounds-seem-muffled-after-a-concert-or-exposure-to-loud-noise-it-may-be-temporary-threshold-shift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.entofathens.com\/do-sounds-seem-muffled-after-a-concert-or-exposure-to-loud-noise-it-may-be-temporary-threshold-shift\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Sounds Seem Muffled After a Concert or Exposure to Loud Noise? It May Be Temporary Threshold Shift"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We\u2019re all familiar with that feeling of fullness in the ears, muffled hearing and ringing sounds (tinnitus) after a night out at the Georgia Theatre<\/a>. Did you know that this phenomenon is known as temporary threshold shift (TTS)? We review everything you need to know about TTS below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Causes Temporary Threshold Shift?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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In order to understand TTS, it\u2019s important to understand how you hear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soundwaves from your environment are captured by the outer ear and travel down the ear canal, which leads to the eardrum. When the soundwave hits the eardrum, a vibration is created, which passes through three tiny bones within the middle ear called the malleus, incus and stapes. This vibration reaches the fluid-filled cochlea in the inner ear, which causes the fluid to move. This movement activates the tiny hair cells that line the cochlea called the stereocilia, creating an electrical impulse. This electrical impulse travels via the auditory nerve to the brain where it is interpreted as sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re exposed to overly loud sounds, it can bend the stereocilia. They can remain this way for several days or even weeks, which is why it takes some time to regain your full sense of hearing. The louder the noise and the longer the exposure, the longer it will take to recover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, it is high-frequency sounds like consonants that are most affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Temporary Threshold Shift Serious?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the name suggests, TTS is temporary. However, this doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s not serious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While a single loud concert probably won\u2019t cause any permanent damage to your hearing system, repeated exposure can. Repeated episodes of TTS can become permanent threshold shift (PTS)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Loud Is Too Loud?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Any sound over 85 decibels (dB) can cause damage to your hearing. For reference, this is about the level of passing highway traffic or a busy caf\u00e9. You can tell if a sound is too loud if\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n