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Johns Hopkins Health - How a Johns Hopkins Expert Protects his Hearing

Fall 2014
Issue No. 26

How a Johns Hopkins Expert Protects his Hearing

Date: October 9, 2014


Dr. Frank Lin

Hearing loss is a natural consequence of aging, but it can also be caused by exposure to noise—and the damage is cumulative. So I take simple steps to protect my hearing.

Anytime I’m exposed to a loud noise, even a brief one—like a siren, a power tool or a kitchen blender—I cover my ears or move away from the sound. If you have to raise your voice to talk over the noise, it’s too loud, even if it’s a short burst.

I don’t go to rock concerts anymore, but if I did I’d wear foam earplugs from the drugstore. My children are just beginning to use MP3 players, so I’ll be looking into noise-limiting headphones and the settings on their devices that limit volume.


Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D., is an otolaryngologist and epidemiologist with the Johns Hopkins Listening Center and an associate professor of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery, geriatric medicine, mental health and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins. His research includes hearing loss and its effects on aging and public health.

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