Are movie theaters dangerously loud? Grab your popcorn and read this.

Whether you love to hit up the box office for a blockbuster or are obsessed with the taste of movie theater popcorn (it does hit different), many of us find pleasure in sitting in plush seats and watching the big screen.

As cool as the surround sound can be, movie theaters seem to be extra loud nowadays, even to the point of being uncomfortable. But are they so loud that they can damage your hearing?

Movie theaters are loud, but are they too loud?

Audiologists agree that movie theaters are especially loud. “Aside from concerts and sporting events, theaters are among the loudest recreational environments we experience,” Ross Cushing, a clinical audiologist and chief executive officer of Live Better Hearing + Balance, tells Yahoo Life.

For moviegoers, this development can be a source of both joy and concern. “With advancements in sound technology and more speakers in theaters, the listening experience has become much more immersive, which enhances the movie experience but also raises the potential for hearing damage,” he continues.

The level of hearing risk depends partially on the type of movie or what’s happening in it. Cushing specifies that dialogue is usually 60 to 70 decibels (dB), which is safe, but action sequences and explosions can hit 100+ dB. The level that can lead to hearing loss — when prolonged, he says — is lower, at 85 dB.

“These spikes are usually brief,” Cushing adds, referencing those action scenes, “but if they exceed 120 dB, even short bursts can be unsafe. ... At levels above 100 dB, damage can occur in as little as 15 minutes.”

“That can be as loud as a concert,” Sarah Lundstrom, an audiologist at HearCare Audiology, fellow of the American Academy of Audiology and member of the American Board of Audiology, tells Yahoo Life. “The louder the sound, the less time it takes to damage your hearing.”

How loud settings can harm hearing

Being surrounded by loud noises can hurt your hearing more than you may realize. “When exposed to high noise levels, even for short periods, a person can experience temporary hearing loss or ringing in the ears,” aka tinnitus, Cushing says. “In some cases, there may be permanent hearing loss, depending on the individual’s physiological susceptibility to hearing loss and the intensity of the sound.”

The risk is greater when you’re frequently exposed to loud environments, he notes, as the sensitive hair cells in the inner ear become increasingly damaged over time. Here’s how it happens: Loud sounds cause vibrations that move the fluid in the inner ear more forcefully than it would normally move. This can damage hair cells, which are responsible for converting the vibrations into electrical signals that are sent to the brain to interpret the sound. Damaged hair cells can make certain letter sounds, like “t” and “k,” harder to decipher.

“This would be commonly seen with factory or construction workers who spend long periods of time surrounded by noise,” Lundstrom adds. “Some very loud sounds — like a gunshot or firework — can cause instant damage, which can be permanent, but most often temporary.”

And once your hearing is gone, it’s gone. “Unlike some animals, such as birds and reptiles, humans typically do not regain their hearing once it’s lost,” Cushing says.

Why it’s important to protect your hearing

For those of us who can hear well, it’s easy to take that sensory experience for granted, not realizing how much of our lives it affects. Cushing speaks to how it helps us connect with friends and family, as well as to enjoy music and experience other sounds of life, from waves crashing at the beach to the vacuum picking up a bunch of crumbs off the living room floor.

“Once your hearing is damaged, the hair cells in your inner ear do not regenerate, so as audiologists, we always recommend taking preventative measures to avoid lifelong consequences,” he says.

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the only preventable form of hearing loss, according to Lundstrom — and she’s seeing more cases of it. “NIHL is on the rise, especially in teens and young adults,” she says. “NIHL can start early and worsen gradually over time, accompanied by poor word clarity, difficulty understanding in noise and tinnitus.”

More than 12% of kids and teens have suffered permanent damage to their hearing due to excessive exposure to noise, and almost 25% of adults who report “excellent to good hearing” have measurable hearing loss.

Practical, actionable ways to protect your hearing

Here’s the good news: Protecting your hearing isn’t much of a hassle, nor does it mean you have to miss out on the joy of movie theaters.

The main tip Cushing shares is simple: Wear earplugs — you can get them over the counter or purchase customized molds from an audiologist. He encourages people to wear them in movie theaters and at concerts and sporting events. Lundstrom recommends also wearing them when working with noisy equipment, such as a lawnmower or power tools.

While the plugs will limit noise, they don’t completely block it out. “Filtered earplugs, whether they are OTC or custom, allow sound to remain clear but at a quieter level — in other words, they don’t distort the quality of the sound,” Cushing clarifies. Sitting farther away from the speakers if possible also helps.

If you have concerns about your hearing or are often surrounded by loud noises, seeing a health care provider or getting a referral to an audiologist is a good move. “Regular hearing checkups with an audiologist can help detect early signs of hearing loss and can help make sure you’re protecting your hearing properly,” Cushing says.