|
Magazine
HEALTHWATCH
Ouch! That hurts
DR RAVI RAMALINGAM
|
Exposure to loud noises can cause hearing loss. What can you do?
|
Can noise really hurt my ears?
Yes, noise can be dangerous. If it is loud enough and lasts long enough, it can damage your hearing. Sensorineural hearing loss or nerve loss can be caused by several factors other than noise, but noise-induced hearing loss is different in one important way. It can be reduced or prevented altogether.
Can I “toughen up” my ears?
No, if you think you have grown used to loud noise, it probably has damaged your ears. There is no treatment, no medicine, no surgery, not even a hearing aid that can correct your hearing once it is damaged by noise.
How does the ear work?
The ear has three main parts: the outer, middle, and inner ear. The outer ear (that you can see) opens into the ear canal. The eardrum separates the ear canal from the middle ear. Small bones in the middle ear help transfer sound to the inner ear. The inner ear contains the auditory (hearing) nerve, which leads to the brain.
Any source of sound sends vibrations or sound waves into the air. These funnel through the ear opening, down the ear canal, and strike your eardrum, causing it to vibrate. The vibrations are passed to the small bones of the middle ear, which transmit them to the hearing nerve in the inner ear. There, the vibrations become nerve impulses and go directly to the brain, which interprets the impulses as sound: music, a slamming door, a voice...
When noise is too loud, it begins to kill the nerve’s endings in the inner ear. As exposure to loud noise increases, more nerve endings are destroyed, As the number of nerve endings decreases, so does your hearing. There is no way to restore life to dead nerve endings; the damage is permanent.
How can I tell if a noise is dangerous?
People differ in their sensitivity to noise. As a general rule, noise may damage your hearing if you have to shout over background noise to make yourself heard; if it hurts your ears; if it makes your ears ring; or if you are slightly deaf for several hours after exposure to the noise.
Is the length of time I hear a noise a danger to my hearing?
It certainly does. The longer you are exposed to a loud noise, the more damaging it may be. Also, the closer you are to the source of intense noise, the more damaging it is.
Recent studies show an alarming increase in hearing loss in youngsters. Evidence suggests that loud rock music along with increased use of portable radios with earphones may be responsible.
Can noise affect more than my hearing?
A ringing in the ears, called tinnitus, commonly occurs after noise exposure, and it often becomes permanent. Some people react to loud noise with anxiety and irritability, an increase in pulse rate and blood pressure, or an increase in stomach acid. Very loud noise can reduce efficiency in performing difficult tasks by diverting attention from the job.
Who should wear hearing protectors?
If you must work in an excessively noisy environment, you should wear protectors. You should also wear them when you are using power tools, noisy yard equipment, or firearms.
How effective are hearing protectors?
Hearing protection devices decrease the intensity of sound that reaches the eardrum. They come in two forms: earplugs and earmuffs. Earplugs are small inserts that fit into the outer ear canal. To be effective they must totally block the ear canal with an airtight seal.
Earmuffs fit over the entire outer ear to form an air seal so the circumference of the ear canal is blocked, and they are held in place by an adjustable band.
Properly fitted earplugs or muffs reduce noise 15 to 30 dB. Simultaneous use of earplugs and muffs usually adds 10 to 15 dB more protection than either used alone. Combined use should be considered when noise exceeds 105 dB.
Can I hear other people if I wear them?
Just as sunglasses help vision in very bright light, so do hearing protectors enhance speech understanding in very noisy places. Hearing protectors do slightly reduce the ability of those with damaged hearing or poor comprehension of language to understand normal conversation, However, it is essential that persons with impaired hearing wear earplugs or muffs to prevent further inner ear damage.
What if my hearing is already damaged?
Hearing loss usually develops over a period of several years. Since it is painless and gradual, you might not notice it. What you might notice is a ringing sound in your ear (called tinnitus), which could be the result of long-term exposure to noise that has damaged the hearing nerve. Or, you may have trouble understanding what people say.
This could be the beginning of high-frequency hearing loss; a hearing test will detect it.
These symptoms may also be nothing more than impacted wax or an ear infection. However, it might be hearing loss from noise. In any case, take no chances. If you suspect a hearing loss, consult an ENT specialist.
The writer is an ENT Surgeon based in Chennai
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Magazine
|
