Does bass from subwoofers damage hearing?

Hi guys, my younger brother just got out of his mate's car outside my house, the bass from the subwoofer was extreme, I could feel the vibration through the house. I told my brother (other brother without tinnitus) he is going to get hearing loss and tinnitus if he keeps riding around in his mates car. He said that bass does not damage hearing like treble. Is that true?

 

I think all loud noise could cause hearing loss... including thunder, explosions, bass.... your younger just doesnt know whats it like living with T!

 

If ANY sound is louder than a vacuum cleaner it is damaging.

 

I know! He is a cocky little..., his reply was "i'm not going to stop living just because you are constantly scared about your ears"...his ignorance offends me, people never know what it is like to have tinnitus, so annoying!

 

Its very interesting when you stated that vacuum cleaners are right at limit of noise before hearing damage occurs, i always wear earplugs when I use them, they can be very noisy.

 

If someone was telling about damaging loud noises in the past I probably wouldn't listen to them as well because those things only happen to other people, you know.
It's only after you're afflicted with something like tinnitus or hearing loss that you will realize the damage you were doing to your ears, but by then it will have been to late.

But maybe he's one of those people that will blast loud music everywhere and not get tinnitus, you never know. We're still just in a 10% minority, so 9 out of 10 people will not get tinnitus. We're the unlucky 1/10.

 

Obviously we are either exceptionally strong or exceptionally bad people ...

 

LeQuack, some studies show 1/5 college students have permanent ringing. Allergy (in some countries) are 1/4, if this is any weird consolidation tinnitus will become more epedemic in the future ;\

 

I also read that scientists except that by the time my generation (20smth nowadays) are 30 or 40 around 30-40% of them will have impaired hearing.

 

I know I would have been tinnitus free all my life if it wasn't for that f*****g fire alarm I was exposed too In my dad's shed, it wasnt just loud noise, my eardrums were beating so hard to the alarm I didn't even know what it was? Like two heartbeats in my ears! I don't think my eardrums would have been beating like that in any other situation in my life.

 

I was shocked to discover that my uncle has suffered from it since his 20's (he was an officer in the artillery), my aunt (his wife) has had it for the last 10 years, my two closest friends from university suffer from it (one since before university and one for 5 months), my closest friend from school suffers from it and his wife suffers so badly she needs a fan to sleep at night.

I didn't know that any of these people had it until I mentioned it to them. I think a huge number people have it and just don't say anything about it. The figures you quote may even be on the low side.

 

An epidemic!! I think it has to do with the fact that the number of people who are actually bothered by it is relatively low (only around 20 % search medical help).

 

I believe bass can most certainly damage your hearing, and for me it is actually those low vibrating noises I fear the most as that is what cause my tinnitus. I got mine about ten years ago from standing next to a bass speaker in a night club. It is good of you to try and warn your brother but I guess you cannot force people to change the way they live, but at least if you have advised him then you have done your bit. I have two little sisters and I have given them earplugs and showed them how to use them and informed the when etc....they are only in their teens and they are both into clubs and concerts etc...luckily they seem to have taken my advice on board. I was very proud of the youngest the other week as she went to a concert and ended up being sat near the speakers so she got up and moved away even though all her friends wanted to stay at the front!

Also I think earplugs do little to protect against those low bass sounds as they pass through materials quite easily......please feel free to correct me if I am wrong!

Rhea x