Is noise pollution becoming Public Enemy No. 1?

Exposure to noise is dangerous. Hearing loss and tinnitus is becoming more commonplace.

IT'S OFFICIAL... Continued exposure to noise pollution will damage hearing and cause tinnitus.

Noise: "any loud, discordant or disagreeable a sound." - Webster's New World Dictionary

The louder the noise/noises you are exposed to, the less time it will take to cause the hearing loss. The continued exposure to loud noises cause the delicate cells of the inner ear to be damaged or destroyed, resulting in additional hearing loss each time we are exposed to prolonged intense sound. Whilst noise-induced hearing loss is permanent and incurable, it is preventable.

A 19th Century German bacteriologist, Roert Koch was who won the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1905, predicted in 1910 that: "The day will come when man will have to fight noise as inexorably as cholera and the plague." A wise man indeed! If we take necessary precautions, there is no need to suffer with hearing loss or a ringing in the ears as tinnitus is known.

We need to start young and ensure that our children and grand children are properly educated and aware of the dangers of noise pollution.

The loud music that children listen to on the radio, on stereos and earphones, in their cars, in discos, and at music concerts definitely impairs their hearing. Recent studies show that exposure to loud noise interferes with learning and lowers reading and math scores. Children will be deprived of these skills and will be partially deaf by the time they are grown unless we act to lessen noise.

Sustained exposure to noise over 85 decibels can cause permanent hearing loss and tinnitus.

Common City Sounds Decibels (dBA)

quiet home 20

normal talking 40

ringing telephone 60

air conditioner 75

shouting, subway train 100

honking horns, jack hammers, loud music 120

.Noise does not have be loud to be harmful...

.Noise is any sound that bothers us or causes us to be stressed.

.Stress is a hazard to your health.

Stress is the body's response to outside disturbances.

A barking dog or a dripping faucet can trigger your body's responses: heart rate increases; blood pressure rises; the mouth dries; skin loses color; muscles contract; and blood cholesterol rises. Sustained stress reactions to noise can lead to high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, ulcers, indigestion, and insomnia.

A rule of thumb: If you have to raise your voice while speaking to someone three feet away from you, then your immediate environment could be hazardous to your health.

Protect Yourself From Noise

Wear earplugs in noisy places

Keep conversation and rest areas in the home away from sources of noise (open windows and doors)

Sound-treat your home

Use heavy curtains on the windows, acoustical tile on the ceiling and walls, rugs on the floors

Caulk and seal all air leaks to reduce the noise coming in from outside

Turn down the volume of stereos, especially those with headsets

Quiet Begins With You

Keep stereos, radios, and televisions turned down

Keep pets quiet

Don't honk horns except in an emergency.

Keep auto and truck engines, air conditioners, and appliances in good repair

Purchase the least noisy air conditioner or vacuum cleaner

Create a demand for quieter appliances

Respect your neighbor's right to quiet

Tell your friends about the hazards of noise

If You Have been Exposed to Noise, What Can You Do?

Recent studies have shown that MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENTATION has a protective effect against long-term noise exposure. In this study, Israeli soldiers who got an additional 167 milligrams of supplemental magnesium daily had less inner ear damage than soldiers getting placebos. Low levels of magnesium combined with noise exposure eventually deplete the cells' energy stores, leading to exhaustion, damage and death of the inner ear cells.

Low magnesium levels can also cause blood vessels, including the tiny arteries going to the inner ears, to constrict.

If you work in a noisy environment, or have been exposed to loud noises, or suffer from tinnitus, it is likely that you could be magnesium deficient and it is recommended that you supplement your MAGNESIUM levels in the body.