Chinese student suffers temporary hearing loss after 4 hours of cicada noise while camping

An 18-year-old boy in eastern China suffered temporary hearing impairment after being exposed to the droning of cicadas for several hours.This news garnered significant attention on social media, amassing 4.5 million views, as many believe that natural sounds are harmless to their health.According to Shandian News, the boy, identified by his surname Yang, lives in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, and went camping in a forest in early July.Around noon, he experienced intense cicada droning in the thick forests. Without any soundproofing equipment, Yang remained in this noisy environment for four hours.In the evening, he felt a sensation of fullness in his ears, which were swollen. He struggled to hear high-pitched sounds, such as birds singing or alerts from his mobile phone.Cicadas can be deceptive; while a single drone might seem relaxing, an entire swarm can be overwhelming and potentially lead to long-term hearing damage. Photo: Getty ImagesYang was later diagnosed with temporary hearing impairment due to noise exposure. His hearing returned to normal after receiving medical treatment and refraining from noise for 14 days, according to the report.Li Ji, a senior doctor in the otorhinolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat) department of Ningbo-university-no-1-affiliated-hospital" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="178632" data-entity-type="organization">Ningbo University No 1 Affiliated Hospital, mentioned that they see numerous patients every summer affected by cicada droning.“Many people mistakenly believe that natural sounds are harmless to their ears,” Li stated in an interview.He explained that while a single cicada produces a sound measured at 70 decibels, which is not harmful to human ears, a chorus of cicadas can exceed 85 decibels – the threshold where noise-induced hearing damage begins.After the incident, the teenager was diagnosed with temporary hearing impairment due to noise exposure. Photo: Shutterstock“The hair cells in the cochlea can develop oedema due to the irritation from loud noises for a relatively short duration. They typically recover after avoiding the noisy environment and resting for 1-2 weeks,” Li said.“However, if the hair cells become necrotic, they cannot regenerate. The resulting hearing impairment is permanent and irreversible, forcing the patient to rely on hearing aids for auditory assistance,” he added.Li recounted the case of a 60-year-old gardener surnamed Liu, who has pruned trees every day from June to August for the past 12 years, exposing him to intense cicada droning for extended periods.Liu reported experiencing ringing in his ears and difficulty hearing women’s voices or conversations in lower tones.This news shocked many online, challenging the common belief that natural sounds are beneficial for health — in reality, they can pose risks. Photo: Getty ImagesLiu has developed permanent hearing impairment from noise exposure, according to Li.Further ReadingThe story sparked a frenzy on mainland social media.“My God! I’ve learned something new. I thought being immersed in the forest and surrounded by chirping cicadas was refreshing, but it turns out to be a health risk,” commented one online observer.Another chimed in humorously: “Now I understand why many elderly residents in rural areas tend to be deaf.”