Magazine Smart Living Smart Living

K.K. Bajaj Chairman, Bajaj Capital	CAN MAKE US EVEN MAD
people exposed to high sound levels for eight hours a day over many years will be at significant risk for developing hearing damage.

Noise is unwanted sound. It is derived from the Latin word 'nausea' meaning sea-sickness. Noise is among the most pervasive pollutants today. Noise from road traffic, jet planes, trucks, buses, factories, loud music shows,to name a few are among the unwanted sounds that are routinely released into the air.
Many of us are unaware of the harm this monster does. The never-ending saga of noise throughout the day puts a lot of stress on us. There is industrial noise, transport noise, social noise which accumulate to cause noise pollution.
The problem with noise is not only that it is unwanted, but also that it negatively affects human health and well-being. Problems related to noise include hearing loss, stress, high blood pressure, sleep loss, distraction,less productivity, and a general reduction in the quality of life with the possibility of heart failure and damage of brain cells.

Volume of sound makes big difference
Scientists say that even a small change of sound intensity, from a 10 decibel intensity to 20 decibels, means a hundred fold increase. An annoying 80-decibel intensity is very common in cities, and if it exceeds the level of 90 decibels, we could become deaf. Most of us living in big cities are partially deaf to delicate sounds. We don't know about finer sounds at all - so the love for atrocious music. The result is that due to sound pollution we become exhausted, irritable and full of anger - and can become even mad! Our normal routine work shouldn't cause exhaustion at all, because to work is our nature. But the present-day noisy world simply drains our energy away.
The brain and the mind need rest, but our rest itself is noisy - viewing violent programmes on the television amidst noisy surroundings. Metros are like a virtual 'hell' where junky vehicles, loudspeakers and old-fashioned factories produce loud noise - all the day and even at night.
Traffic in cities, aircraft, construction work, mechanized industries, home appliances, televisions, radios etc. have all made the world a very noisy place. Everyone is aware of the increase in noise in our daily lives, and of the effect it may have on our sleep patterns and working abilities, but few people are aware that prolonged exposure to harmful levels of noise can permanently damage our hearing. In fact, in industrialized countries, excessive noise is partially the cause of one third of the total cases of hearing impairment. In developing countries, especially those that are in the process of rapid industrialization, even more persons may be affected.

How does noise damage hearing?
In the organ of hearing 'in the inner ear', a large number of tiny ear cells respond to sound frequencies by producing nerve impulses which travel along the auditory nerve to the brain, where the sound is perceived. Ear cells are very sensitive to sound and they are easily damaged by excessive sound levels. At first the damage is temporary as this is a common experience after exposure to loud noise at a loud music show, one may have a mild hearing loss and ringing in the ears for a few hours.

How Noise Hurts
Continued exposure to noise damages your hearing. The louder the noise, the less time it takes to cause hearing loss. Cells of the inner ear are destroyed, and hearing deteriorates each time we are exposed to prolonged loud sound. The ear cells do not regenerate. Noise-induced hearing loss is often permanent and incurable. It can however be prevented.

Noise Hurts Children, too!
The loud music that children listen to on radios, TVs on stereo and earphones, and at music shows impairs their hearing. Studies show that noise interferes with learning and lowers reading and mathematic scores. Children will be deprived of these skills and will be partially deaf by the time they grow up unless we act to avoid loud noise.

Reducing the Risks of Noise Pollution
Health education on this subject needs to be targeted at the general public, those in influential positions, health professions, and those in high risk situations. The last group would include workers in noisy occupations such as firefighters, police officers, construction workers, military personnel, heavy industry workers, musicians and entertainment industry personnel. It also includes young people who are exposed to the noise of high-pitched music. It is vital to promote the value of conserving normal hearing, to avoid prolonged exposure to noise and the proper use of hearing protectors.

What Level of Noise is Dangerous?
A simple rule of thumb is that noise may damage your hearing if you have to shout above the background noise to make yourself heard. The intensity of sound is measured on a scale of decibels. People exposed to high sound levels for eight hours a day over many years will be at significant risk for developing hearing damage. Sustained stress reactions to noise can lead to high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, ulcers, indigestion, and insomnia.
As exposure to excessive sound levels increases, more and more ear cells suffer permanent damage. Ear cells that have died cannot be replaced at present, and the hearing loss becomes progressively worse if the exposure continues. The part of the 'inner ear' that transmits high frequency sounds is particularly vulnerable. As a result speech frequencies, especially consonants such as S, F, Sh and H which have a higher frequency than vowels, become difficult to distinguish. Increasing deafness leads to severe difficulties at work and in social interactions.

Precaution is Better
Noisy industries should develop hearing conservation programmes for their workers. These programmes should include regular inspection and monitoring of sound levels, strategies for noise reduction through engineering solutions, regular screening of employees for hearing impairment, health education for the workers, counseling, and compensation schemes for those affected. All this should be backed up by government legislation, which should apply to all industries, and noisy job in government and private sector undertakings.

Need for Cosmetic Hearing Protectors
People should have greater access to hearing protectors which are cosmetic and functionally acceptable - just as is the case with sunglasses. There should also be wider availability of basic hearing test - again, just as many people readily have their eyesight tested.
Much can be done to conserve our wonderful and valuable sense of hearing in our increasingly noisy world. The main tasks are to raise public awareness and to provide more opportunities for noise reduction and hearing conservation. More research is needed into the basic mechanisms of noise-induced hearing loss and into ways, firstly of preventing it and then, eventually of treating it.