Sound Advice
Have you ever heard a ringing or buzzing sound in your ears after going to a party, concert, or other really loud event? This condition is called tinnitus (pronounced tih-neye-tus), and it usually lasts until your ears gradually re-adjust to normal sound levels. Experiencing tinnitus, or having to yell to be heard, are both signs that the enviornment you're in is too loud.

Going to concerts or blasting your stereo once in a while is OK. But over time, too much exposure to loud noise can lead to a condition known as Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). One of the biggest noise culprits is personal music players (iPod/MP3). Video games, television sets, traffic, and some machines and appliances can also make the environment too noisy for the average person. In fact, many experts believe that people are losing their hearing at much younger ages than they did 30 years ago.

Plugged in For Fun
Wear earplus when going to the arcade or other really noisy events like a concert, car racing or fireworkds. Bring enough earplugs for your friends too. Take "ear breaks" and give your hearing a chance to recover from the noise.

Pack'em, Stick'em, stash'em
Take earplugs with you wherever you go -- pack'em, in your pocket and stick'em in your ears! They're so small; you can easily stash them in your pocket or purse.

Getting Down
Turn down your Ipod/MP3 player and speak up if you think your friends are listening to theirs at too high a volume.

Keep it low for Little Bro
Don't let your younger brothers and sisters play with noisy toys.

Good Vibrations
Set your cell phone on vibrate instead of high volume.