Take a look around you.

It is apparent that our generation is obsessed with iPods and other audio devices. In fact, it seems as though ear buds have become the “must have” accessory for any person who wants to be included in the fad.

I often wonder if people with headphones jammed into their ears are actually listening to any type of audio at all, or if they merely have them in their ears out of habit.

Continuous noise exposure to any noise louder than 85 decibels (dB) – the units used to measure the magnitude of sound – can cause hearing loss, according to the American Academy of Audiology.

October is “National Protect Your Hearing” month, and it is time that people start listening to something that’s beneficial for them.

Most people associate hearing loss with the elderly, but this is delusional thinking. Out of the 36 million Americans suffering from hearing loss, many are under the age of 65 and 12 percent are between the ages of 6 and 19.

The fact is, daily routine activities are slowly deteriorating our long-term hearing. The noise emitted from an average football stadium is measured at about 110 dB. That is an “average” football stadium — not Sanford Stadium, the sixth biggest stadium in the country.

And your desire to stand right next to the speakers at the next rock concert? Well, that is measured at a whopping 120 dB.

“There have been so many concerns about exposure in music venues – loud concerts, using MP3 players, really loud outputs,” said Robin Hardin, an audiologist for Athens-Oconee Audiology. “You can have a single blast – a single loud exposure that can cause the problem – or cumulative, like many loud concerts or many loud exposures over a 10 or 15 year period of time.”

Even the frequent ringing of an alarm clock positioned two feet away – measured at about 80 dB – can cause hearing loss.

Most of us are unaware that we are suffering from any health problems unless there are physical signs. If the signs aren’t visible, it is typically not at the top of our “To-Do” list.

But hearing loss is the third most common health problem in America, and we can’t afford to ignore this issue when one of our five senses is at stake.

Most of us don’t think twice about leaving the house without a pair of our favorite sunglasses, whether it’s sunny or cloudy outside. In fact, I bet most of us own more than one pair of sunglasses.

It is ironic to me that we are so much more knowledgeable when it comes to protecting our eyes than when it comes to caring for our ears.

Is this because there are no visible symptoms of hearing loss, or is it related to the fact that our society is consumed by outward appearances? As long as we physically “look” healthy then we are accepted by society as healthy individuals, correct?

But for the average person who wants to take steps toward preventing hearing loss, a pair of ear plugs is exactly what they need. These ear plugs are not the kind you’d wear to shield noises completely, but the kind that allows you to hear while blocking out damaging sounds.

Hearing loss is not curable, only treatable, so a pair of these high fidelity ear plugs is priceless when compared to your health and future. The cost of ear plugs range anywhere between $5 to several hundreds of dollars and can be picked up at any hardware store or anywhere online.

People can still fit into the fad with those ear plugs – people will just think you’ve got a pair of wireless headphones on, which is even more vogue, but that is just in my opinion.

- Vivian Giang is a staff writer for The Red & Black