| Bob Seger, Jeff Beck, Sting, Eric Clapton, Peter | | | | They outfitted workers at a Midwest |
| Frampton and Bob Dylan all have something in | | | | auto-assembly plant with monitors to take blood |
| common. Their years of hard rocking have left a | | | | pressure readings and record noise levels |
| mark on more than just their fans -- after years | | | | throughout the day. |
| of exposure to loud noise, they all now have | | | | It was found that while blood pressure was |
| hearing impairments. | | | | affected by overall noise exposure, peaks in noise |
| But these hard rockers are not alone. Exposure | | | | affected heart rate. Also, an increase of 10 |
| to excessive noise is, in fact, the most common | | | | decibels in average noise exposure resulted in a |
| cause of hearing loss and the most common | | | | systolic blood pressure increase of 2 millimeters. |
| work-related disease. | | | | To put things in perspective, reducing systolic |
| Some 10 million Americans already have | | | | blood pressure by 6 millimeters (for the |
| permanently damaged hearing from loud noise. | | | | long-term) has been associated with a 35 percent |
| Another 30 million are at risk right now in their | | | | to 40 percent reduction in strokes and a 20 |
| homes, workplace and recreational settings, | | | | percent to 25 percent drop in coronary disease. |
| according to the National Institute on Deafness | | | | Where is All This Loud Noise Coming From? |
| and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). | | | | Noise from all over -- work, traffic, music, TVs, |
| Surprisingly, though, hearing loss is only one health | | | | industry, people and more -- exists like never |
| risk that arises from loud noise exposure. There | | | | before. As a result, much of the population is now |
| are several other, serious, risks as well. | | | | experiencing related hearing loss and other |
| According to Eddie Chandler, a stress | | | | problems. |
| management specialist, " ... Sounds can literally | | | | "There's no question that baby boomers have |
| make you sick. Noise pollution can increase your | | | | been exposed to different sources of noise than |
| stress levels and create severe tension in your | | | | any generation before them," says Dr. James F. |
| daily life. It can increase your heart rate, raise | | | | Battey Jr., director of NIDCD. "We're certainly |
| your blood pressure and even result in insomnia." | | | | seeing people in their 40s and 50s who notice |
| Acoustic Neuroma Tumor | | | | their hearing is not as good as it used to be." |
| A study to be published in the February 2006 | | | | Younger people are also at risk of future |
| Journal of Epidemiology found that several years | | | | problems, as exposure to noise via earbuds or |
| of repeated exposure to loud noise increases the | | | | headphones attached to MP3 players and other |
| risk of developing a non-cancerous tumor that | | | | media devices is common. |
| could cause hearing loss. | | | | Many people may not even realize that they are |
| People exposed to loud noise were 1.5 times | | | | listening to music at harmful levels. An April 2005 |
| more likely to develop the tumor, called acoustic | | | | study by National Acoustics Laboratories in |
| neuroma, than people who weren't exposed to | | | | Australia, published in the International Journal of |
| loud noise on a regular basis. | | | | Audiology, found that 25 percent of people |
| The slow-growing tumor gradually presses the | | | | wearing headphones who were stopped on city |
| cranial nerve that senses sound and helps with | | | | streets were listening at damaging volumes. |
| balance. Symptoms, which typically become | | | | "Safe" Noise Levels |
| noticeable at age 50 or older, include hearing loss | | | | A safe average of noise for a 24-hour day is 70 |
| and ringing in the ears (tinnitus). | | | | dB, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection |
| Noise Increases Heart Attack Risk | | | | Agency. Any noise that reaches 85 dB or more |
| Prolonged exposure to high noise levels also | | | | can damage your hearing, but even a softer noise |
| increases the risk of a heart attack, according to | | | | can harm your health if it keeps you up at night |
| a study published in the European Heart Journal. | | | | (a 45-dB noise is loud enough to keep the |
| The study involved 4,000 people who had been | | | | average person awake) or irritates you. |
| admitted to Berlin hospitals from 1998 to 2001. | | | | To put things into perspective, here's a list of |
| When it came to environmental noise (heavy | | | | some common noise measurements: |
| traffic, machines like lawn mowers, yelling kids and | | | | - Quiet home: 20 dB |
| barking dogs), it was found that: | | | | - Normal talking: 40 dB |
| - Men who were exposed for a prolonged length | | | | - Ringing telephone: 60 dB |
| of time had a 50 percent higher risk of heart | | | | - Air conditioner: 75 dB |
| attack than those not exposed. | | | | - Heavy traffic: 90 dB |
| - Women who had been exposed to noise had a | | | | - Subway train, honking horns, jack hammers: |
| three times higher risk. | | | | About 100 dB |
| "We feel that, if you have a higher and longer | | | | - Typical nightclub: 110 dB |
| exposure to noise, either environmental or | | | | - Ears register pain: 120 dB |
| workplace noise, you are at a higher risk for a | | | | - Loud music, jet take-off: About 120 dB |
| heart attack," said lead investigator Dr. Stefan | | | | Noise-Reducing Tips |
| Willich. | | | | To keep noise to a minimum in your home, or to |
| Risk of High Blood Pressure Goes Up | | | | protect your hearing if you must be in a noisy |
| Another study by University of Michigan | | | | environment, try these tips from the previous |
| researchers, published in the Archives of | | | | article "Noise Pollution: How Bad is it, How Bad |
| Environmental Health, found that working in a loud | | | | Could it Get, What are the Effects? |
| environment raises blood pressure levels. | | | | |