Now is the time to begin protecting your hearing for the future.
Wednesday is the sixth annual International Noise Awareness Day. Sponsored by the League for the Hard of Hearing, thousands of organizations all over the globe are participating in this day to promote awareness of the detrimental health problems loud noise can trigger.
Locally, Patsy Ellis, a medical librarian at the VA Learning Center, has become a noise activist in her own right.
“Loud noise is more than just an annoyance,” she said. “It’s a public health issue.”
As a member of the Southside Neighborhood Organization, Ellis, along with several of her neighbors, began researching noise-related problems in response to the loud nightclub music with which the community was plagued. Through her investigation, Ellis found that noise poses a multitude of health threats.
“There’s a definite link between loud noise and adverse physiological responses,” she said.
In addition to hearing loss, research has shown that prolonged exposure to loud noise can stimulate high blood pressure, sleep disturbance, increased aggression and digestive difficulties.
Researchers believe these problems may be rooted in the primitive response of humans to a loud noise.
“Primitively, a noise is a negative stimulus and can act as warning,” Ellis said. “It can communicate to a person `I might be threatened.'”
In response to that noise, a person is sent into a defense or “flight or fight” mode. This state of heightened stress, over time, is thought to contribute to health problems.
Noise-induced problems, especially hearing loss, are gradual, painless processes that span an entire lifetime. Recent health statistics show the incidence of hearing loss occurring at younger and younger ages. Education about acceptable levels of noise and preventative measures are steps to avoid potential health problems.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) believes that any noise over 85 dBA (decibels in the A scale) will harm hearing. Furthermore, the level the ear perceives loudness doubles every 10 decibels.
“Sixty-five decibels is twice as loud as 55 decibels,” Ellis said. “So, at every level, it takes less and less time for hearing loss to occur.”
The softest sound the human ear is able to perceive is 0 dBA. Noises below the 85 dBA danger level include a whisper at 20 dBA, rainfall at 50 dBA, normal conversation at 60 dBA and city traffic noises at 80 dBA.
Noises above safe levels include lawnmowers at 90 dBA, hairdryers that can reach to 95 dBA and leaf blowers at 110 dBA. Some “boom cars” which have the bass cranked up have been measured at 140 dBa. Nascar races have been as loud as 130 dBa, and concerts can have produced figures in the 110-140 range. Experts believe that 15 minutes at 115 dBA is dangerous to hearing and that less than two minutes of exposure at 130 dBa may be hazardous as well.
“The remedy for these problems is education,” Ellis said. “People need to know that noise can have severe negative effects on their health and quality of life.”
Several measures people can take to reduce their risk include using foam earplugs, turning down volumes and avoiding activities or limiting exposure time to activities with potentially harmful levels of noise.
Warning signs of hearing loss include the ringing of ears after a loud event, trouble understanding speech for several hours or even days and muffled sounds after exposure to loud noises. It is recommended that people with these symptoms visit an audiologist who can administer a hearing exam.
To celebrate International Noise Awareness Day, hundreds of private audiologists and hearing clinics across the country are offering free hearing screenings. For locations visit www.lhh.org/screenings.
Also, the League for the Hard of Hearing is asking the public to observe a “Quiet Diet” or one minute of quiet from 2:15 p.m. to 2:16 p.m. on Wednesday.
For more information on noise and the International Noise Awareness Day visit http://www.nonoise.org/.

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