Environmental Noise is bad for your Health
Noise pollution isn’t just annoying- it can be detrimental to your health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
If you live in an urban area, then chances expose yourself daily to dangerously high levels of noise pollution, described as anything above 55 decibels. Freeway and airport traffic noise, manufacturing plants, and overcrowded public spaces all amount to a lot of environmental noise. Even if you don’t live in a dense population, your chances of suffering the ill effects of noise pollution are high. If you attend indoor events like rock concerts, musical plays, or basketball tournaments, then you are at risk for developing tinnitus and hearing loss, along with a myriad of other symptoms linked with noise pollution. Top 5 Noise Cancelling Headphones
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) quotes, “Problems related to noise include stress related illnesses, high blood pressure, speech interference, hearing loss, sleep disruption, and lost productivity.”
Below are the 7 most common conditions caused by noise pollution:
1- Hearing loss:
Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the most common result of overexposure to noise pollution. Scientists have confirmed that 8-hour exposure to noise levels above 85 dB causes severe ear damage. How loud is 85 decibels? The amount of noise emitted by a large truck driving on the freeway is equivalent to 85 dB. Tinnitus has become a more prominent disorder among teenagers since the popularity of iPod in-ear listening devices. How Loud is Too Loud? Prevent Tinnitus Now
2- Decreased communication skills:
In a study published by the EPA, scientists noted that prolonged noise exposure weakens our ability to communicate effectively, causing symptoms such a difficulty concentrating, indecision, faltering speech, confusion, stress, and impatience. 20 iPad Apps for Hearing Loss
3- Sleep problems:
High levels of noise make it difficult to get a full night’s sleep. Sleep disturbances often lead to insomnia, which creates stress, anxiety, depression, mood swings, and lowers our immunity. Tinnitus Symptoms Making you Turn to Sleeping Pills? Read about Side Effects of Sleep Drugs
4- Heart conditions:
Since noise pollution causes stress, anxiety, and insomnia, then long-term exposure to constant, loud noise eventually creates cardiovascular difficulties. Hypertension, elevated heart rate, and the hormonal flight-or-fight response are common side effects of stress caused by excess noise. Additionally, sudden wakefulness in the middle of the night from a loud noise causes a heart response that could be harmful. Finding Tranquility with Tinnitus, Part I: Relax the Mind
5- Psychiatric disorders:
Noise pollution doesn’t cause psychosis, but it does exacerbate symptoms in the mentally ill. Persistent and loud noise contributes to anxiety, stress, headaches, mood swings, aggressiveness, phobias, and antisocial behavior. In addition, in a report on noise pollution and its effect on general mental health, individuals such as the elderly and young children who lacked the ability to cope with loud noise exposure suffered a weakened sense of well-being. British Singer Frightened by Tinnitus Symptoms
6- Lost productivity:
Noise pollution impairs our cognitive functioning, according to many studies. Whether at work or at school, our ability to complete an assignment efficiently and timely becomes compromised when loud noise is a factor. Noise pollution negatively affects our reading comprehension, learning and problem-solving skills, work performance, ambition, and socio-emotional development. When Children Suffer Tinnitus and Hearing Loss
7- Agitation:
According to some clinical studies, persistent low frequency rumbling noises produced feelings of aggression, discontent, fatigue, despair, anxiety, and distractedness in test participants. While the behavioral changes were subtle, they influenced daily activities and social manners, such as loud slamming of doors, avoidance of neighbors, and proneness to accidents. 6 Anxiety Busting Tricks- Try Them Now!
Related reading:
5 Ways to Deal with Noisy Neighbors
40+ Best Tinnitus and Hearing Loss Sites
Treatments for Severe Hearing Loss
Sources:
Noise Pollution: A Modern Plague: Adverse Health Effects of Noise
The A to Z of Tinnitus Remedies
Tinnitus symptoms are continuous ear ringing, buzzing or hissing in the inner ear that only the tinnitus sufferer can hear. Tinnitus sufferers may experience ringing in the ears all day, or it may come and go in phases. Tinnitus noises may also vary in pitch and volume, depending on the amount of inner ear damage to the cochlea, a network inside the ear that is crucial for good hearing. While there is no long-term cure for tinnitus, experts have agreed that certain vitamins can be beneficial for alleviating the effects of hearing loss and tinnitus.
Below is a list of the 4 best vitamins for tinnitus relief:
Vitamin A
The cochlea of the inner ear stores large amounts of vitamin A, and relies on sufficient stores in order to receive and interpret sound efficiently, according to Dr. George E. Shambaugh Jr, author of “Healing with Vitamins.” In his book, Dr. Shambaugh recommends vitamin A, in conjunction with vitamin E, as an effective tinnitus treatment. Good sources of vitamin A are orange fruits and vegetables, such as cantaloupe, yams, carrots and pumpkin. Tuna and spinach are also high in vitamin A.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is essential for a healthy nervous system. Vitamin B12 affects the way we touch, taste, see and hear, so it is not surprising that vitamin B12 deficiency leads to symptoms such as altered taste perception, visual disturbances, numbness or tingling, and chronic tinnitus. One Tel Aviv study, which focused on Israeli servicemen with tinnitus, found a high correlation between symptoms of tinnitus and vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 occurs naturally in lean meats, fish, eggs and dairy products.
Magnesium
Magnesium is another essential vitamin, which is included in many tinnitus remedies. Nutritionists believe that a magnesium deficiency corrupts the ability of the cochlea to function properly by constricting vessels that lead to the inner ear. Magnesium occurs naturally in food sources such as brown rice, bananas, beans and oats.
Zinc
Zinc is another nutrient that is associated with tinnitus and hearing loss. A study featured in Otology and Neurotology determined that low levels of zinc may be a cause of tinnitus. The University of Michigan Health System reported in 1985 that 25% of tinnitus sufferers who had low zinc levels noticed a marked reduction in tinnitus symptoms when they increased their zinc intake. Foods that are highest in zinc include oysters, wheat germ, veal liver and sesame seeds.
Read more about tinnitus treatment and prevention:
5 Mistakes Tinnitus Sufferers Make
Gingko Biloba as a Treatment for Tinnitus
Stop that Ringing in your Ears: Get Tinnitus Treatment Now
Top 5 Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sources:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/261616-vitamins-for-ringing-ears/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8639287
http://www.ehow.com/about_5468633_vitamins-tinnitus-relief.html
http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/zinc.php
White Noise Makers Reduce Ear Ringing, Help You Sleep
If you suffer from tinnitus, then you probably have difficulty getting a good night’s sleep. Tinnitus symptoms such as ear ringing, buzzing, clicking and other phantom noises wake you up in the middle of the night, interrupt your REM cycle, and disturb your sleeping pattern. As a result, many tinnitus patients like you suffer from insomnia, nervousness, anxiety and depression, in addition to the hearing loss.
White noise sound machines are gaining popularity as an alternative to sleep medications. According to Consumer Reports, white noise generators are almost as effective at inducing restful sleep as sleep medications. (Tinnitus Symptoms Making you Turn to Sleeping Pills? Read about Side Effects of Sleep Drugs)
Tinnitus patients are often recommended by their physicians to use a white noise machine at bedtime. Even if you don’t have hearing problems, listening to the soothing sounds of whispering breezes, gentle raindrops or crackling bonfires can save time by helping you get to sleep earlier and quicker, making it easier for you to wake up every morning refreshed and ready for a new day.
Below is our list of the top 5 white noise machines, as rated by consumers for best price, performance, ease of use and customer satisfaction.
Brookstone Tranquil Moments Sound Therapy System, $129.95- Brookstone.com
Choose from 5 different nature sounds, in addition to 7 white noise programs which were developed by the Center of Neuroacoustic Research. Set duration for 30 minutes, 60 minutes or 90 minutes.
Sound Screen and SleepMate Electro-Mechanical Sound Conditioner, $59.95- Marpac.com
Both the Sound Screen and Sleep Mate models emit white noises described as “rushing air,” effectively masking out unwanted noises such as tinnitus ringing, allowing you to sleep better and longer.
Homedics SoundSpa SS-2000, $19.97- Walmart
With a considerable lower price tag than the Brookstone model, the Homedics SoundSpa is lightweight, compact and is programmed with 6 soundtracks, including ocean breeze, nighttime, rain shower, rain forest, waterfall rapids, and gentle heartbeat.
MarsonaTSC-330, $69.88 – Target
Built for portability, the Marsona TSC-300 is small enough to tuck into a carry-on bag. Two adjustable settings emit a constant stream of white noise, helping you sleep better in unfamiliar, thin-walled hotel bedrooms.
Ecotones Duet, $99.95- Amazon
The Ecotones Duet Adaptive Sound Therapy Relaxation Sleep Machine reacts to the level of environmental noise and automatically adjusts its volume accordingly. Ten programmed sound effects are incredibly realistic, mimicking the sounds of nature.
Need more helpful gadgets for reducing noise pollution?
Read our list of best 5 noise-cancelling headphones, plus more useful information on recognizing the symptoms of tinnitus (ringing in the ears), preventing hearing loss and reducing the level of ear buzzing.
Tinnitus Maskers: Relief is on the Way
Top 5 Noise Cancelling Headphones
Loud Music Causes Ringing in the Ears
Most folks don’t know they’re getting tinnitus until it’s too late; tinnitus symptoms such as ear ringing and hearing loss don’t show themselves until the ear damage is done.
Causes of tinnitus vary, but one of the most common culprits is noise. If you’re in the habit of sticking in your earbuds, clicking on your iTunes playlist and turning up the volume to 10, you may pay for it later. Excessively loud music has been known to cause severe inner ear damage, which leads to tinnitus and hearing loss. And while there are some effective treatments for tinnitus, a tinnitus cure is still far off on the horizon. Celebrities Raise Tinnitus Awareness
How do you know if the volume’s too high?
So, what’s considered a healthy volume for listening to your iPod? The median point on the volume knob is usually the safest. Between 1 and 10, you should limit yourself to 5, which, for most MP3 players, equals about 80 decibels. Anything louder than that, and you’re likely to permanently injure the delicate cells of the cochlea, which are located deep inside the inner ear, and is crucial for proper sound perception. Are iPods Ruining Your Ears?
A good test to see if you’re listening to your music too loud is this: have a friend speak to you in a normal voice while you’re listening to music on your headphones. If you are able to clearly hear and comprehend what your friend is saying, then you’re in the clear. If your friend has to scream in order to be heard (isn’t that usually the case?) then you need to tone it down.
Give your ears a break
According to some research, the amount of time you spend listening to music on headphones is also important. People who listen to MP3 players for over an hour per day usually suffer some form of irreversible hearing loss, over the course of 5 years. So limit the amount of time you spend listening to tunes through headphones, even if the volume is at a healthy limit. Phil Collins Calling it Quits Due to Hearing Loss
Still not convinced?
For a brief demonstration of what hearing loss really sounds like, watch this YouTube video:
More good reads about tinnitus and hearing loss:
Noise ‘n Toys: Can they Cause Hearing Loss in Children?
British Singer Frightened by Tinnitus Symptoms
Coming Soon: iPod Device to Treat Tinnitus
Gear Up to Prevent Hearing Loss: Five Things you Should Buy Now
Sources:
KT Tunstall joins the ranks of celebrities with noise-induced hearing loss
The 35-year-old award-winning singer/songwriter revealed to reporters she has been experiencing tinnitus symptoms for the past 3 years, symptoms she describes as “really frightening.”
It began when she attended a Spice Girls concert in 2008. Tunstall’s notoriety as an A-list pop singer earned her top notch front row seats to the famed Spice Girls reunion. Unfortunately, being close to the stage also means being right in front of giant speakers, blasting out deafening decibels of noise. Following the concert, Tunstall began to hear a constant high-pitch whining noise in her left ear, a sound which is typically associated with tinnitus hearing damage.
At first, she hoped the ear buzzing would go away in a few days. “I didn’t know what it was and at first just hoped it would go away, but it didn’t and it started to drive me mad,” she said.
The relentless ringing in her ears began to interfere with Tunstall’s professional life. As a musician, Tunstall is expected to recognize variances in musical tones and pitches, a talent which is severely hampered by even minor hearing problems. Understanding that there is no long-term cure for tinnitus, she has learned to adjust to the background ear noise, hoping that it does not get louder.
Stop that Ringing in your Ears: Get Tinnitus Treatment Now
KT is no stranger to hearing disorders; she has a young brother, Daniel, who was born deaf. She witnessed the challenges her brother faced in dealing with his disability and eventually overcoming it.
Tinnitus symptoms include constant ringing sounds in the ears which are only heard by the tinnitus sufferer, and are not related to any actual outside noise. When asked to describe their tinnitus sounds, patients refer to them as buzzing, ringing, whooshing, clicking, screaming or hissing sounds. Duration, pitch and volume can vary by severity. Tinnitus causes are old age, noise-induced hearing loss, chronic ear infections, drug interaction and puncturing of the ear drum.
Tinnitus: Why am I More Likely to Suffer Ringing Ears than Others?
Today, KT Tunstall is one of many celebrities who support the Hear the World campaign. The Phonak-funded global initiative offers updated news on tinnitus treatments, hearing loss prevention and a wealth of multimedia events aimed at raising tinnitus and hearing loss awareness. Famous singer/photographer Bryan Adams has captured the images of celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan, Josh Groban, Sting, Jude Law and Amy Winehouse on film, posing in the characteristic hand-to-ear Hear the World pose.
Learn more about tinnitus and hearing loss:
Treatments for Severe Hearing Loss
Tinnitus Retraining Therapy: the Sounds of Silence
Sources:
http://music.uk.msn.com/news/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=157711141
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), approximately 17% of adults in the US suffer some form of hearing loss, from mild hearing loss to severe hearing impairment. Severe hearing loss is diagnosed when an individual is unable to hear or have a conversation without some kind of hearing device, such as a hearing aid or cochlear implant. There are varying levels of hearing impairment; understanding which degree of hearing impairment you are experiencing is key to learning how to cope.
Conductive Hearing Loss
Conductive hearing loss occurs when communication between the outer or middle ear and the inner ear is broken. The cochlea in the inner ear receives sound from the outer ear; interference in the form of excess ear wax, fluid retention or bone deformities can alter the outer ear’s ability to transmit sound waves to the cochlea. Sometimes conductive hearing loss can be corrected with surgery.
Gear Up to Prevent Hearing Loss: Five Things you Should Buy Now
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve. In most cases it is the hair-like cells of the cochlea which become permanently injured. Sensorineural hearing loss is irreversible, but hearing assistance is available in the form of a variety of hearing devices.
Hearing aids
Modern hearing aids are more effective, comfortable and discreet than they were even 20 years ago. Some feature Bluetooth technology, volume control and customizable features. Below is a list of the types of hearing aids which are available:
- Behind-the-ear hearing aids: a small, comma-shaped unit which fits snugly behind the ear and is attached to a plastic mold which sits inside the outer ear.
- Receiver-in-canal hearing aids: similar to the behind-the-ear, but the receiver for the unit is inside the inner ear canal.
- Open-fit hearing aids: a small, compact piece is worn behind the ear and is attached to a piece of clear tubing which extends to the ear canal.
- In-the-ear hearing aids: the entire unit, including a custom-molded piece, is worn inside the outer ear.
Hearing Aids are for Old People, and Other Nontruths.
Cochlear implants
A cochlear implant is an electronic hearing device which is used for individuals who suffer severe hearing loss. While a cochlear implant does not restore normal hearing, it does allow hearing loss patients hear simulated sound waves and have conversations. The components which make up a cochlear implant are:
- A small microphone, placed outside the ear, which picks up environmental sounds and transmits signals to the receiver
- A speech processor adjacent to the microphone which organizes sounds
- A transmitter and a receiver, both of which are planted beneath the skin and are responsible for translating sound waves into electrical impulses
- A group of electrodes which are planted deep inside the inner ear that receives electrical impulses from the transmitter and distributes them throughout the auditory nerve.
For more information about preventing hearing loss, read:
Noise ‘n Toys: Can they Cause Hearing Loss in Children?
Have researchers discovered a tinnitus cure which will put an end to chronic ear ringing? Scientists from the University of Western Australia (UWA) believe they hit upon a promising link to the symptoms of tinnitus.
Tinnitus is a hearing loss related condition which causes sufferers to hear constant ringing in the ears; sounds described as buzzing, sirens, clicking, whooshing and chirping have no relevance to any real existing noise. Severity of the tinnitus symptoms vary by pitch, volume and frequency. A tinnitus specialist must administer a hearing test in order to properly diagnose tinnitus. In certain situations, hearing aids equipped with background white noise are prescribed to alleviate some of the tinnitus symptoms, if not actually curing the tinnitus for life.
Also read: Tinnitus Retraining Therapy: the Sounds of Silence
Tinnitus is caused by age-related hearing loss, inner ear damage to the cochlea, excessive noise exposure, chronic ear infections and drug interactions. While scientists understand many of the basic causes of tinnitus, experts are still at a loss to understand exactly how tinnitus symptoms are produced.
There is now ample scientific research pointing to a particular set of nerve cells which controls how we perceive sound; scientists from UWA believe they are closer to understanding which part of the brain correlates with abnormal nerve cell activity responsible for causing hearing loss and tinnitus; a section of the brain previously ignored as a possible clue to finding a long-term cure for tinnitus.
Relying on an animal model which can be used to replicate tinnitus symptoms and monitor brain activity, researchers hope to link increased electrical behavior in a specific point of the brain’s circuitry with a direct cause for tinnitus and other ear problems. If successful, this discovery could open the door to developing a more effective tinnitus remedy.
Also read: Stop that Ringing in your Ears: Get Tinnitus Treatment Now
Associate Professor Wilhelmina Mulders, co-author of the study said, “If we can establish a direct link between this increased brain cell activity and tinnitus we may be able to move a step closer to finding a way to treat tinnitus.”
Their research is published in a paper, entitled Hyperactivity in the Ventral Cochlear Nucleus after Cochlear Trauma, was published in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Also read:
Objective Tinnitus: It’s Not All in your Head
Anxiety and the Brain: Stanford Study Discovers Off Switch
Sources:
While there is no cure for tinnitus or hearing loss, there are a number of tinnitus treatment options which can provide some relief to chronic tinnitus sufferers from the constant ringing in the ears, nagging internal noises and some of the hearing loss symptoms associated with tinnitus. Popular tinnitus treatments include homeopathic medicines such as the natural remedies formulated by tinnitusdx, sound therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, laser treatment and tinnitus masking devices.
Gear Up to Prevent Hearing Loss: Five Things you Should Buy Now
Some chronic tinnitus sufferers have so much difficulty tuning out continuous ear ringing or buzzing that they find that they are unable to tolerate any extraneous noise of any kind, regardless of the extent of its loudness; chronic tinnitus sufferers have difficulty concentrating on work or studies, and everyday situations like shopping for groceries in a bustling supermarket become torturous, stressful tasks. Many sink into depression or contemplate suicide. For tinnitus patients who find that their symptoms are interfering with their everyday life, audiologists often recommend a tinnitus masker.
What are tinnitus maskers?
A tinnitus masker is a device which one wears, similar to a hearing aid, and which delivers a steady stream of broadband white environmental noise; tinnitus sufferers have found that listening to certain sounds like running water, raindrops, or ocean waves as background noise help them tune out the annoying ringing, buzzing, clicking or whooshing sounds typical of chronic tinnitus; the sound of rushing water masks humming sounds, or even high pitch ringing. Tinnitus maskers effectively hush the constant internal ear sounds; masking devices can be worn on the ear or played through a CD player.
Tinnitus symptoms come in varying ranges of loudness, pitch, sound type and frequency; tinnitus masking devices can be programmed, in order to better treat the different needs of tinnitus suffers and effectively mask competing tinnitus noise.
10 Ways to Mask Tinnitus inside your Home Without Hearing Aids
A hearing test and diagnosis of tinnitus or other hearing loss from an ASHA-certified audiologist is required in order to purchase a tinnitus masker; a trained audiologist can go over your treatment options with you and help you choose a remedy which best meets your needs.
More information on tinnitus treatments can be found by visiting the American Tinnitus Association website.
Sources:
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Better Hearing Institute, eHealthMD, American Tinnitus Association
If you suffer from hearing loss and are into the latest iPad apps, then here’s some good news- iTunes offers a wide variety of health apps to help people who have experienced hearing loss symptoms such as tinnitus, partial hearing loss and deafness.
Here are 20 iPad hearing loss apps which are available on iTunes right now:
- Hearing Check by RNID: Check your hearing from your iPad; no doctor’s visit required, and it’s free.
Hearing Loss Simulator
Siemens Hearing Test
uHear
S Series iQ
Axio ST
NOW NT
Senses – What U Hear?
Captionfish
- EarTrumpet by Praxis BioSciences, LLC: headphones are required for this hearing enhancer app which boosts sound and allows you to filter out background noise with the custom equalizer tool.
HD FIVE SENSES
- Ear Age Analyzer by BLUE WIND: Analyze your hearing perception according to age.
Volume Decibel Meter
TooLoud?
iSpeech Toddler Sign Language
- Sign 4 Me for iPad – A Signed English Translator by Vcom3D: Featuring a full-body avatar, this app for the hearing impaired contains over 11,500 sign language words.
Signing Time Lite ASL – Sign Language
Sign Language!
TapToTalk™
AutismXpress
Hearing loss is becoming more of a health issue among young people these days. Partial deafness used to be considered an “old person’s” disease, but many classrooms are struggling to meet the needs of a growing number of teens with hearing impairments, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
- Millions of Americans suffer some type of hearing loss. Even a minor decrease in hearing ability can make it difficult to carry on a conversation, enjoy music or television…or hear a teacher giving a lecture in class.
- Teens who are experiencing the beginning stages of hearing loss might feel confused, embarrassed, depressed or withdrawn, as they find it increasingly difficult to socialize with peers; as their grades drop, so does their self esteem.
- Between 1998 and 2006 there has been a 30% increase in hearing loss among teenagers, according to a study which included thousands of young adults.
- 1 out of 5 teenagers suffers some type of hearing loss; one out of twenty teens has at least a mild form of hearing loss.
- High frequency hearing loss is statistically more common among young adults than low frequency hearing loss; research indicates a high correlation between high frequency hearing loss and frequent exposure to dangerous noise levels.
- Everyday examples of dangerously high noise decibels include frequent usage of in-ear ear buds or headphones, frequent cell phone usage, rock concerts, Bluetooth headsets and subways.
- According to a study, boys are more likely to suffer hearing loss than girls.
- Teens living in a low income household are more likely than wealthier young people to suffer hearing loss.
Hearing aid manufacturers are competing to meet the needs of young adults with hearing loss. Many new models of hearing aids are sleeker than ever before; more streamlined, smaller and colorful hearing aid models help to reduce some of the stigma associated with wearing a hearing aid.
Here are some popular new hearing aids, from the practical to the down-right ritzy:
The S-series hearing aid features Sweep Technology touch screen interface. Starkey Laboratories created this hearing aid for the new generation with the iPhone in mind.
The Touch from Sonic Innovations is the smallest RIC (receiver in the canal) hearing aid to date; the touch uses updated digital technology to deliver and sound that is true and clear. Plus it comes in an assortment of colors.
Widex offers a hearing aid that combines glam and function; their 24 K gold diamond studded hearing aid is anything but geezer-ish. Priced at over $42,000, you might want to start saving up now.
Sources:
