Hearing Impairment is Not The Only Health Issue Connected To Noise

When you were 16 and turned up the radio to full volume, you had little thought about how this might harm your health. You were just having a good time listening to your tunes.

You had fun when you were growing up, going to loud concerts and movies. You might have even chosen a job where loud noise is normal. Lasting health issues were the furthest thing from your mind.

You more likely know differently today. Noise-induced hearing impairment can appear in children as young as 12. But did you know that sound is so formidable that it can even be used as a weapon?

Can Sound Make You Sick?

Actually, it Can. Certain sounds can evidently cause you to get ill according to scientists and doctors. This is the reason why.

How Loud Sound Impacts Health

The inner ear can be injured by extremely loud sounds. After sound goes through the membrane of the eardrum it's picked up by little hairs in the ears. Once these tiny hairs are destroyed, they don't ever grow back or heal. This is what causes the sensorineural hearing loss that many people deal with as they age.

Over 85 dB of volume for an 8 hour period will begin to cause lasting impairment. If you're exposed to over 100 decibels, permanent impairment happens within 15 minutes. A loud concert is around 120 decibels, which brings about instantaneous, irreversible damage.

Noises can also affect cardiovascular wellness. High blood pressure, clogged arteries, obesity, and other vascular problems can be the result of elevated stress hormones brought on by overly loud noise. This could explain the headaches and memory problems that individuals subjected to loud noise complain about. These are directly linked to cardiovascular health.

Sound as low as 45 decibels can, based on one study, begin to impact your hormones and your heart. A person talking with a quiet indoor voice is at this volume level.

Your Health is Affected by Certain Sound Frequencies – This is How

A few years ago, diplomats in Cuba got sick when subjected to sounds. The sound in Cuba wasn't very loud. It could even be blocked out by a television. So how could this kind of sound make people sick?

Frequency is the answer.

High Frequency

Even at lower volumes, significant damage can be done by some high-frequency sound.

Have you ever cringed when somebody scratched their nails on a chalkboard? Have you been driven crazy by somebody continuously dragging their finger over a folded piece of paper? Does the shrill sound of a violin put you on edge?

Damage was happening to your hearing if you've ever felt pain from high-frequency sound. The damage could have become permanent if you've subjected yourself to this kind of sound repeatedly for longer periods of time.

Research has also discovered that you don't even have to be able to hear the sound. High-frequency sounds coming from sensors, trains, machinery, and other man-made devices may be emitting frequencies that do damage with prolonged exposure.

Low Frequency

Extremely low-frequency sound called "infrasound" can also impact your health. The vibrations can make you feel dizzy and physically sick. Some even get flashes of color and light that are typical in migraine sufferers.

How You Can Protect Your Hearing

Recognize how particular sounds make you feel. If you're feeling pain or other symptoms when you're exposed to particular sounds, limit your exposure. Pain is frequently a warning sign of damage.

In order to understand how your hearing could be changing over time, get in touch with a hearing specialist for an examination.