An 18-year-old boy in China suffered temporary hearing loss after spending more than four hours near hundreds of loud cicadas while camping in Ningbo, Zhejiang.
The cicadas became louder around noon. By evening, the boy had ringing and a blocked feeling in his ears and could no longer hear birds or his phone notifications.
Doctors found swelling in both ears and prescribed medicine. He was told to avoid loud sounds for 14 days, and his hearing fully recovered after two weeks.
Doctors warn that although one cicada usually produces less than 70 decibels, a large group can exceed 85 decibels, a level that can damage hearing.
Short-term exposure may cause temporary swelling in the ear’s hair cells, but severe damage can be permanent.