If you are following the World Cup I'm sure you've heard or heard about the Vuvezela Horns that are used by some of the fans. Although I'm sure it is fun for the fans using them, it is unfortunately a danger to hearing health for everyone around. Sound level measurements have shown that the noise level of the Vuvezela Horns during an event can reach as high as 120-125 dB. This is louder than a chainsaw! Some research is already underway to find hearing protection for the workers (journalists for instance) who are exposed to the noise over a long period of time, day after day. Here's a link that you can refer to for more information about this research.
Posted on www.audiologyonline.com http://tinyurl.com/2cf6jt9
Taken from http://www.hear-the-world.com Vuvuzela-proof Hearing Protection; Customised hearing systems created to tune out drone of vuvuzela.
And a bit more blogging here...
Hearing protection, as I've observed through the years, is under utilized over all. I put a basket of earplugs out in my waiting room from time to time for my patients to pick up. Most are unsure what to do with them thus leading me to believe that many people have never used hearing protection. I have seen the damage of noise over time as I used to do industrial testing for companies that needed to meet OSHA's standards for hearing conservation. Those who did not use their protection showed marked decrease in hearing over time (testing was annually).
Those that did use their earplugs showed slower progression and in many cases no progression of hearing loss over time. It's exciting to see that this disorder (noise induced hearing loss) CAN be prevented but frustrating to see that many people are not thinking about their hearing until permanent damage is done.
Hearing protection is a good idea for all loud noises whether it is running the lawn mower or other lawn equipment, using a shop vac or other loud household appliances or home improvement tools, attending a concert, using a firearm or working in an noisy industry just to name a few.
Finally if you tried hearing protection and didn't like it, there's a good chance that you had the wrong type of protection for the job. An audiologist can help you determine what type of protection you need for your line of work/hobby. If you are around noise regularly please get your hearing tested regularly. Baselines are important so do not wait until you have a hearing problem to get your first hearing evaluation.
This blog posted by Suzanne Yoder, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology and owner of HearWell Center. Please visit our website for more information http://www.hearwellcenter.com/
Friday, July 9, 2010
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