![\"test](\"https:\/\/sfaudiology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/chemicals-v2.jpg\" "\\"chemicals")
<\/p>\nIndividuals with hearing loss in San Francisco can usually blame excess noise or the aging process for their condition. While these are the most common factors associated with impaired hearing, they aren\u2019t the only ones. Few people realize the dangers that certain chemicals can pose to their hearing.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Chemicals that interfere with the ears\u2019 ability to work are known as ototoxicants. OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) recently published a\u00a0Safety and Health Information Bulletin<\/a>\u00a0that discusses the harm certain chemicals can cause to your hearing. These ototoxicants are commonly found in solvents, pharmaceuticals and pesticides.<\/p>\n Hazardous chemicals are often found on construction sites, manufacturing facilities and farms \u2013 but may even appear in your home. When these ototoxicants travel through the bloodstream, they can damage the hair cells of the inner ear<\/a> and the neural pathways. Your risk of a hearing impairment is even greater when loud noise is part of the workplace.<\/p>\n OSHA has broken down these chemicals into the following categories:<\/p>\n The industries where these ototoxicants are most commonly found are construction, mining, textile and agricultural. Factory workers who deal with metal, textile and paint, and people who build ships and boats, are particularly vulnerable. They may experience speech dysfuntion, a type of It\u2019s unclear how extensive the problem is. According to OSHA, hearing tests aren\u2019t able to distinguish between the different causes of hearing loss \u2013 whether noise or chemicals are to blame \u2013 and many workplaces have both.<\/p>\n\n
Preventing Hearing Loss from Ototoxicants<\/h2>\n