Toxic Sound: Are You Unknowingly Damaging Your Hearing?

Sound is a strong physical force. Sound goes through your entire being faster than it goes through the air. It pushes against your atoms and molecules and sends them into a state of vibration.

Not only can the physical effects of sound be measured on a human being, so can the psychological, emotional and mental effects.

Not all sound is good for you.

Most people know that very loud sounds, especially when they are sustained, can damage your hearing. We don’t always pay attention to this because we can’t feel or tell when our hearing has been damaged. And because we can’t feel it, we don’t always believe that damage is possible. Or, that it is actually happening.

Sound is a form of energy. The energy in the sound wave, the intensity of the sound, or loudness, is measured in decibels, often abbreviated as dB.

The relationship between some common sounds and the intensity measured in dB, is described in the following Decibel Scale Chart.

 

By definition, zero dB is the threshold of human hearing. Intensity of the sound is doubled with each 3 dB increase.

For example, normal conversation is usually measured at 60 dB, 63 dB represents a conversation that is twice as loud, 66 dB is twice as loud again, and so on. A subway train is typically measured at 90 dB while a jet engine can approach 130 dB.

Most people feel pain with sound levels between 110 and 130 dB.

Our ears though, are imperfect instruments when it comes to measuring sound. While 3 dB represents a doubling of the energy of the sound, our ears perceive a sound that is 10 dB higher to be twice as loud. In fact, it’s about 10 times louder!

I was surprised when I found this out. Knowing how the scale works puts the volume of these sounds into proper perspective.

“Hearing loss is cumulative, so regular attendance at live concerts and nightclubs puts people at increasing risk, especially if they also spend a lot of time listening to personal stereos. Although workers are required by law to be offered ear protection if they are subject to noise above 85 decibels, there are no statutory limits for the protection of audiences. At concerts, groups may play music amplified to above 120 decibels, which is 1,000 per cent louder than 85 decibels.

What effect does exposure to noise have on your health?

“Elevated workplace or other noise can cause hearing impairment, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, annoyance and sleep disturbance. Changes in the immune system and birth defects have been attributed to noise exposure, but evidence is limited.” (From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_from_noise)

“Noises can be especially harmful to children. Scientific research indicates that noisy homes slow down cognitive and language development in young children. In addition, children living and attending schools near noisy highways, railroads, and airports have lower reading scores, and some children living or attending a school near a major airport have experienced elevated blood pressure.” (From http://www.pollutionissues.com/Na-Ph/Noise-Pollution.html)

Here is a link to an interesting article about the dangers of noise from the Globe and Mail:
http://www.sean-davidson.com/articles/deaf_to_the_dangers.html 

Part of auditory wellness, which includes the health of your hearing, is to know what can be damaging to your hearing and what your limits are. Damage is insidious because we can’t always feel or tell when our hearing is being harmed.

Damage to your hearing does not heal. It is considered permanent. I encourage you to become aware of the sounds around you and how they may be affecting you.

Stay tuned for next week’s blog where I will share about Healthy Sound. Sound that supports your wellbeing at all levels: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.