[Ohio-talk] Fw: Noise That Surrounds-Is it Harmful to Hearing?

Tue Mar 30 10:48:42 UTC 2010

You are welcome.

jw

Dr. J. Webster Smith
President National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
P.O.BOX 458 Athens, Ohio, 45701-0458
Phone Number - 740-592-6326
"Changing What it Means to be Blind"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "COLLEEN Roth" <n8tnv at att.net>
To: <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, March 29, 2010 8:02 PM
Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] Fw: Noise That Surrounds-Is it Harmful to Hearing?

> HI Jw.
> Thanks for sending this out.
> I have always had a hard time with a lot of noise.
> Sometimes I just like it quiet. It's not my age, I have always been this 
> way.
> We all need to give our ears a break.
> That's the beauty of reading in Braille. Don't misunderstand me. I love my 
> Digital Player, but sometimes readinging quietly is just great.
> The only purring that is pleasant comes from a cat not a sports car or a 
> helicopter. Those things are just so loud.
> Thank Ms. Willy for sending this to you.
> Colleen Roth
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dr. Smith" <jwsmithnfb at verizon.net>
> To: "NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List" <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Monday, Mar 29, 2010 19:18:30
> Subject: [Ohio-talk] Fw: Noise That Surrounds-Is it Harmful to Hearing?
>
>>
>>
>> fyi
>>
>> jw
>>
>> Dr. J. Webster Smith
>> President National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
>> P.O.BOX 458 Athens, Ohio, 45701-0458
>> Phone Number - 740-592-6326
>> "Changing What it Means to be Blind"
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: COHEAR at aol.com
>> To: cohear at aol.com
>> Cc: babyruth1125 at hotmail.com be cindy4baskets at zoominternet.net be 
>> cewoodruff at sbcglobal.net be dmwilliams12849 at yahoo.com be 
>> hgoldberg at northwestcounselingservics.org
>> Sent: Monday, March 29, 2010 10:41 AM
>> Subject: Noise That Surrounds-Is it Harmful to Hearing?
>>
>>
>> Information on preventing hearing loss.
>>
>> Hermine Willey
>> Noise That Surrounds - Is it Harmful to Hearing?
>> Monday, March 29th 2010
>> You hear it all day, every day. It surrounds you at home, at work, on the 
>> sidewalk and hiking the back trails. It's noise. And though we hear it 
>> 24/7 (the ears don't sleep), most of us don't know what noise is, 
>> actually. Even the experts disagree on the definition of noise. But 
>> betcha you know it when you hear it - and you hear it all the time.
>>
>> People who study sound (acoustics) define noise as "complex sound waves 
>> that are aperiodic, in other words, sound waves with irregular vibrations 
>> and no definite pitch." (Must have heard me practicing my bagpipes.)
>>
>> In engineering (auto designers, aircraft builders, etc.) noise is defined 
>> as "a signal that interferes with the detection of or quality of another 
>> signal." That's kind of a broad definition, but you get the idea.
>>
>> Then there are specialists who study the impact noise has on our 
>> humanity - our humanness. The study of psychology and sound, aka, 
>> psychoacoustics defines noise as "unwanted sound." So, when my neighbor 
>> powers up the lawn mower at 7:00 Saturday morning, that sure is noise to 
>> me.
>>
>> Noise Pollution
>> You can analyze those three definitions and they all have something in 
>> common. Noise isn't good. It interferes with our ability to hear sounds 
>> of higher "quality," though quality is in the ear of the beholder. 
>> Listening to a 6-year-old screech her way through "Twinkle, Twinkle, 
>> Little Star" on a pint-sized violin might be ear agony to most, but to 
>> mom and dad, it's music to their ears.
>>
>> So, we all define noise differently, but we can agree on two basic facts. 
>> First, noise is unwanted (at least by some) and second; we live in a sea 
>> of sounds. Noise is all around us and there's no escaping. When the wind 
>> blows, it makes a sound. And, if you're playing a round of 18, that 
>> zephyr can sound like a typhoon after awhile, though you "get used to 
>> it."
>>
>> The fact is that noise is a form of pollution, but unlike the black smoke 
>> pouring out of coal-fired, generating plants, you can't see noise, or 
>> taste it or find it on your clothes. It's invisible, yet it's the most 
>> widespread form of pollution we have, and that's not a good distinction - 
>> most pervasive, insidious, dangerous pollution in our environment is not 
>> a badge of honor. Even so, most of us are not only unaware of noise 
>> pollution; most of us seek it out. Yep, most people like noise. They even 
>> pay money for it.
>>
>> Sources of Noise Pollution
>>
>>       On demand ear pollution
>> Now, who'd pay money for noise? Chances are, you have and you do.
>>
>> When you go to the googolplex to watch the latest movie, you want to feel 
>> the explosions in your gut and experience the blast on your skin. Now, 
>> how much did you pay for that movie ticket?
>>
>> What about iPods and MP3 players? Own one? Know someone who does? Well, 
>> those noise guns may not pollute the environment but they sure do pollute 
>> your ear canals and the rest of your hearing mechanism when not played at 
>> responsible listening levels.
>>
>> We buy surround sound systems for home use to get the full experience of 
>> watching 34 commercials a day in surround sound and hi-def. We like our 
>> choppers to have a throaty throttle and our sports cars to purr loudly 
>> while idling.
>>
>> Then there's the general, background noise that bombards our ears 
>> throughout the day - at the office, on the factory floor, on the busy 
>> city sidewalk or in our favorite, albeit clamorous, bistros. Noise is 
>> everywhere. We can't escape it, unless we want to live in a tent 
>> somewhere in the mountains without any contact. We like noise. It's 
>> stimulating and adds to the richness of life.
>>
>> Noise Is Stimulating? Wait'll you Hear What It Does To Your Body!
>> Let's start with the expected. Noise damages the delicate hearing 
>> mechanism nature provides. Exposure to noise above 80 decibels (dB, the 
>> measurement of the loudness of noise and sound) is harmful dependent upon 
>> the exposure time. Here are some noise levels you might encounter:
>>
>>
>>
>>       live rock concert 120 dB (150 dBs for hair bands)
>>       jet taking off 20 ft over your ears 120 dB
>>       tympani (at the symphony) 106 dB
>>       snowmobile or chain saw 100 dB
>>       vacuum cleaner 70 dB
>>       normal conversation 60 dB
>>       dishwasher 60 dB
>>
>>
>>
>> What else does this jumble of jangle do to us?
>>
>> If affects the entire body.
>>
>>   a.. Noise increases blood pressure and the louder the noise the higher 
>> the increase.
>>   b.. Noise intensifies the effects of drugs, alcohol, aging and lethal 
>> carbon monoxide.
>>   c.. Noise alters the heartbeat itself, and not for the better, by the 
>> way.
>>   d.. Noise increases breathing rate, sometimes good, sometimes not so 
>> much.
>>   e.. Noise disturbs digestion.
>>   f.. Noise can cause upset stomach, ulcers, acid reflux and other 
>> stomach ailments.
>>   g.. Noise can lead to pre-mature childbirth.
>>   h.. Noise contributes to insomnia, even when the noise has stopped.
>>   i.. Noise contributes to irritability, impatience and other 
>> blood-pressure-boosting emotions.
>> We've all experienced it. We all know the effects. That ringing in your 
>> ears when you leave that rock concert? It's called tinnitus by hearing 
>> professionals and can last multiple days, during which time the stressed 
>> hearing system tries to heal itself as best it can - but the fact is that 
>> once hearing loss occurs it almost never comes back.
>>
>> And the effects are cumulative, which means they add up throughout a 
>> lifetime. So, every time you are exposed to dangerous levels of noise, 
>> your hearing is slowly wearing away. That's part of the problem. Hearing 
>> loss is often gradual, taking place over years (but a little bit worse 
>> every day) and it's painless.
>>
>> So Are You Doomed to Have Hearing Loss?
>> No. In fact, you can enjoy healthy hearing for a long, long time, if you 
>> take steps to protect what hearing you have left.
>>
>> Here's what you do:
>>
>>   a.. Increase your awareness of the noise around you, i.e. listen. You 
>> get through the day oblivious to noise because your brain has become so 
>> used to the sound that bombards your ear drums every second of every day. 
>> If there is a loud noise you are exposed to regularly, wear hearing 
>> protection when possible.
>>   b.. Protect what you got. Sound levels below 80dBs are considered safe. 
>> No damage. But since you can't measure sound levels of your MP3 or 
>> surround sound rig, just assume it's too loud and drop the boost a notch 
>> or two. Your ears will thank you years from now.
>>   c.. Unplug daily. Regularly, too. If you're an IPod addict, listen at 
>> normal, human levels for no more than 90 minutes a pop. Then unplug and 
>> give your ears time to heal themselves as best they can.
>>   d.. Consider purchasing noise- cancelling headphones. These headphones 
>> are idea when listening to music when in the presence of background 
>> noise. Studies have shown the more background noise that surrounds you 
>> the higher you will turn your music up. If you can block out the 
>> background noise with your headphones, you will be less likely to 
>> increase the volume. A worthy investment - great sound quality, great 
>> hearing protection.
>>   e.. Be aware of sounds in the workplace. If you are concerned you are 
>> being exposed to excessive noise day in and day out, discuss this with 
>> your employer and request they have the noise levels measured in your 
>> work environment.
>>   f.. Monitor recreational sound and use less of it. Recreational sound 
>> is noise you can eliminate or reduce. MP3 players and car radios are a 
>> few examples.
>>   g.. Cover your ears. So elementary but for sure a no-brainer. When you 
>> know you're going to be exposed to loud noise, at the Fourth of July 
>> picnic, for example, cover your ears. That string of Black Cats may not 
>> be sustained noise, but those poppers put out a concussive force that 
>> strains the ears, so cover up your ears with your hands.
>>   h.. Wear protective gear around the house. A pair of foam ear plugs, 
>> available at any drugstore, will set you back a few bucks. Or, you can 
>> spend more for noise cancelation headphones - on or over the ear. These 
>> bring you into a world of peace and quiet by electronically cancelling 
>> noise - unwanted sound waves. They're great for household noise and power 
>> tools such as chain saws, leaf blowers and the lawn mower.
>>   i.. See a hearing professional. If you've increased the volume on your 
>> telephone or TV recently, good chance you've got something going on in 
>> there (or not). So, make an appointment with a hearing professional for a 
>> totally, 100% painless hearing evaluation.
>> You know it's a noisy world. You live here. But there are things you can 
>> do to lessen the impact noise has on your entire body and psyche. Noise 
>> isn't good. It's ear pollution - and you don't even know it's there.
>>
>> Go pro-active when it comes to protecting your hearing and the hearing of 
>> loved ones (kids are even more susceptible to hearing loss caused by 
>> exposure to loud noise so check those toys before you buy).
>>
>> Take charge of what goes in your ear to ensure healthy hearing for years 
>> to come.
>>
>> Contributor
>> Kristi Albers Au.D. Managing Editor, Healthy Hearing
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>
>

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