When you were a kid you probably had no idea that turning the volume up on your music could lead to health problems. You simply enjoyed the music.
You had a good time when you were growing up, going to the movies and loud concerts. It may even be common for you to have experienced loud noise at work. Still, you didn’t think it had any long-term effects.
You more likely know differently today. Children as young as 12 can have lasting noise-induced hearing loss. But did you know that sound is so formidable that it can even be used as a weapon?
Can You Get Sick From Sound?
In short, yes. Certain sounds can evidently cause you to get ill according to doctors and scientists. This is the reason why.
How Health is Impacted by Loud Noise
Really loud sounds injure the inner ear. You have tiny hairs that detect +
vibrations after they go through the eardrum membrane. Once these tiny hairs are destroyed, they don’t ever heal or regenerate. Many people, as they age, deal with sensorineural hearing loss caused by this.
Dangerous volume begins at 85 decibels for an 8 hour time period. If you’re subjected to over 100 decibels, long-term damage takes place within 15 minutes. A rock concert is about 120 decibels, which brings about immediate, irreversible damage.
Noises can also impact cardiovascular health. Subjection to loud sounds can increase stress hormones, which can result in High blood pressure, clogged arteries, obesity, and more. This might explain the memory and headache problems that individuals exposed to loud noise complain about. Cardiovascular health is strongly related to these symptoms.
In fact, one study confirmed that sound volumes that begin to impact the heart, and hormones are as low a 45 decibels. A person talking with a quiet inside voice is at this volume level.
Your Health is Impacted by Certain Sound Frequencies – This is How
Several years ago, diplomats in Cuba became sick when exposed to sounds. The sound in Cuba wasn’t that loud. It could even be drowned out by a television. So how could this kind of sound cause people to get sick?
The answer is frequency.
High Frequency
High frequency sounds such as the one experienced in Cuba can do appreciable harm at lower volumes.
Does the sound of nails on a chalkboard cause you to cringe? Have you been driven crazy by somebody continuously dragging their finger across a folded piece of paper? Does the shrill sound of a violin put you on edge?
Damage was happening to your hearing if you’ve ever felt pain from high-pitched sound. The damage could have become irreversible if you’ve exposed yourself to this sort of sound repeatedly for longer periods of time.
Research has also revealed that damage can happen even if you can’t hear the sound. High-frequency sounds coming from sensors, trains, machinery, and other man-made devices could be producing frequencies that do damage with sustained exposure.
Low Frequency
Your health can also be affected by infrasound which is really low frequency sound. It can vibrate the body in such a way that the person feels nauseous and dizzy. Some even get flashes of color and light that are common in migraine sufferers.
How You Can Safeguard Your Hearing
Recognize how particular sounds make you feel. If you’re feeling pain or other symptoms when you’re around certain sounds, reduce your exposure. Pain is typically a warning sign of damage.
In order to know how your hearing could be changing over time, get in touch with a hearing specialist for an exam.