Noise exposure is one of the main causes of hearing loss.
According to the European Environment Agency, noise exposure is implicated in 43,000 hospitalizations and over 10,000 premature deaths per year in Europe. Almost 900,000 cases of high blood pressure are caused by excessive noise each year.
Indeed, exposure to too loud a sound (sound trauma) or repeated exposure to loud sounds can permanently damage our hearing.
Damages depend on factors such as:
- noise intensity (volume),
- noise frequency (higher-pitched sounds do more damage),
- the length of time the person is exposed to the noise and
- hearing protection worn by the individual (plugs, earmuffs, etc.)
All of these factors can help prevent noise-induced hearing loss.
You may be exposed to potentially dangerous sounds in a recreational as well as professional context.
Nowadays, noise is becoming a real public health problem.As we will understand, noise is responsible for many damages to the human body.
Also, the psychological impact of noise should not be neglected.
The risk of negative consequences due to noise depends not only on the noise level of the workplace, but also on the duration of noise exposure.
Thus, for a working day (8 hours), hearing is considered to be at risk from 85dB(A).
If the noise level is higher, the exposure should be shorter.
If the level is extremely high (greater than 130 dB(A)), any exposure, even for a very short time, is dangerous.
When noise disturbs the ears, when it hits the body’s systems, it is time to apply good «reflexes» to reduce the noise for others and for yourself.
Noise and recreational activities
Some recreational activities are particularly loud and can cause hearing damage.
These include:
- the hunt
- motorcycling, drifting
- music concerts
- night clubs
- listening to music with headphones. This has become “problematic” because most people exceed the acceptable and safe listening volume.
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Cozma, primary ENT physician, explains: «Nowadays, of course, we all like to attend concerts, go to discos. But we often expose ourselves to noise levels that can damage the inner ear and, implicitly, the auditory system. Awareness of this risk, unfortunately, is at a very low level among the population. I would say that even an involuntary exposure takes place: we participate in events, weddings, various meetings that take place in closed spaces where the noise far exceeds the permitted norms, we often allow ourselves to be drawn into this story at risk for the auditory system».
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Cozma, superspecialized in audiology, auditory rehabilitation through cochlear implant and pathology of the vestibular system, is also President of the Romanian Society of Audiology and Communication Pathology.
About 25% of workers are at risk of developing noise-induced hearing loss.
Continuous exposure to noise will have a permanent impact on the hearing of the worker exposed to it.
After exposure to noise, there may be a sensation of blocked ears and other symptoms such as tinnitus (hearing noises in the ears) and hyperacusis (sensitivity to loud sounds).
“Another category of exposure to noise with a risk of hearing loss is represented by workers in noisy sections, in factories, in noisy environments who, although they know these regulations, although they know the risks because they are told since employment, do not wear means of hearing protection in general because they no longer have comfort, they say, and they can no longer communicate with those around them. In an environment with intense noise, they avoid wearing protective equipment and, as a result, the auditory system, mainly the inner ear, is affected during the exposure” explains Prof.Dr. Sebastian Cozma.
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Cozma is a member of the ENT Specialty Commission of the Ministry of Health and an elected member of the Senate of the “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iasi. He is also Coordinator of the National Program for the Treatment of Deafness through Implantable Hearing Prostheses in Romania and founder of the Department of Audiology and Vestibulology within the Iași Clinical Rehabilitation Hospital.
Audiological evaluation of patients affected by noise exposure is essential for the identification and monitoring of noise-induced hearing loss.
The sociological consequences of exposure to noise
In cities we are constantly bombarded with noise: horns, loud motorcycles, jackhammers, lawnmowers, barking dogs, loud music, etc. The sociological consequences of noise are real and significant.
Almost 125 million European citizens suffer from transport-related noise pollution.
Air noise, traffic noise, but also neighborhood noise, all this reaches us, it makes people sick.
The noise can thus turn into a real nightmare!
“The correct attitude is to avoid exposure for long periods, meaning more than a few minutes, which the human auditory system can tolerate. Although there is also the risk of acute acoustic trauma, which means the sudden loss of hearing at the time of the sound, when this happens, chronic trauma from repeated exposure to high-intensity sounds affects us along the way as we are exposed to or participate in more evenimente.
The first signs are tinnitus, the continuous ringing in the ears after we leave that environment. Subsequently, the appearance of hearing problems is not very obvious because, at first, being mild, it is not noticeable by the patient; maybe only those around you first notice that there is a problem. Thus, this category of patients reaches diagnosis and intervention after a number of years of exposure to intense noise”, explains Prof. Dr. Sebastian Cozma.
When the noise breaks your ears day after day:
Hearing is a fine and fragile «equipment» that must be protected. Hearing problems caused by noise pollution are often permanent. There are different hearing disorders:
Progressive deafness: Deprivation or weakening of hearing that can occur from repeated and daily exposure to sound at 85 dB
Tinnitus: is an abnormal perception of a noise in the absence of a sound source (noise, whistling, etc.)
Hyperacusis: the ear becomes hypersensitive to certain sounds (certain music, metallic noises, etc.)
Acute noise trauma: Sudden injury from exposure to violent noises, such as an explosion, fireworks, or a gunshot. A single exposure can lead to eardrum perforation and damage to inner ear structures. Hearing loss is most often partial.
The list can be extended, but the purpose of this article is certainly not to list all pathologies of the ear.
However, rest assured that trauma rarely causes complete deafness.
Note that constant noise without rest periods is generally more harmful than noise that is repeated at regular intervals. Therefore, it is recommended not to expose yourself to noise for too long.
Although the effects of noise on hearing are well known, its effect on health is often underestimated. By disrupting sleep and overloading the nervous system, noise can affect the entire body.
How can I prevent hearing loss?
- Don’t panic, you don’t have to cut all your headphone cables to avoid hearing loss!
- Make sure to keep the sound volume level at the correct values. It can greatly protect your hearing.
- Limit the use of devices that can damage your hearing
- Wear headphones that have a good noise-modulation system
- Reduce outside noise
Enjoy quiet or low noise and never fall asleep with music playing in your headphones. Therefore, you should take listening breaks to protect your ears.
By lowering the volume and avoiding prolonged exposure, you can reduce the risk of noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus.
What are the appropriate measures we can take when faced with noise?
Prevention may include:
- Using ear protection, such as earplugs or earmuffs, in noisy environments.
- Avoiding exposure to extremely loud noise sources.
- Limiting time spent in noisy environments.
- Lowering the volume when using headphones or listening devices.
- Compliance with workplace noise regulations.
As we have seen, noise exposure is a public health issue. It is the duty of each of us to prevent the unwanted effects, and the authorities should take consistent measures to lessen its unwanted effects.
Bibliographic references
https://www.polycliniquedeloreille.com/conseils-sante/la-surdite-liee-au-bruit
https://www.acoustix.be/fr/isolation-acoustique/actualites/effets-bruit-sante
https://www.surdi.info/fr/dossier-sante-et-soins/quelle-vie-sociale-surdite-et-risque-d-isolement/
https://diacritica.wordpress.com/2009/01/02/fi-fii-cand-se-scrie-fi-cu-2-i/