HAZARDS OF NOISE

HAZARDS OF NOISE

Exposure to noise causes changes in the inner ear and
mainly damages the sensitive hair cells of the inner ear,
which leads to sensor neural type of hearing loss.
Noise induced hearing loss:hearing loss after exposure to
hazarous noise may initially be temporary and return too
normal after a short rest interval.
Permanent hearing loss may develop in a littler as 3 months
of damaging exposure.
How to detect noise induced hearing loss?
Noise induced hearing loss can be easily detected by doing
a test of hearing called "Pure Tone Audiogram" (PTA) the
first change noted on exposure to hazardous noise is the
so called "Temporary threshold shift" which appears classically
as a sleep isolated audiometric dip at 4kHz.
These changes seen after exposure of sound are reversible
if exposure to noise is avoided for minimum period of 6 months.
PTA has to be done atleast 3 times i.e.,3months and 6 months
post exposure.
Acoustic Trauma:This is permanent hearing loss resulting from
brief exposure to very loud noise e.g., gunfire,crackers sound
etc.Symptoms are a person with noise induced hearing loss apart
from decreased hearing,complains of ringing in the ears and
fullness in the ears i.e., a feeling of blocking sensation.

Hearing conservation:1) Prevention of permanent hearing loss
due to noise requires that hazardous occupations and hobbies
be recognized and the public educated to their risks.
2)Workers exposed to hazardous noise should undergo regular
audiometric screening tests e.g., PTA,
3)there is known treatment for establishe deafness of noise
damage.
Writer.........Dr.B.Prabhaker Reddy, ENT Surgeon,
Twin City Speech + Hearing Center
Cell : 9849054514