When you were a kid you probably had no clue that turning the volume up on your music could lead to health problems. You simply enjoyed the music.
As you got older, you may have indulged in nights out at loud concerts or the movies. It may even be common for you to have experienced loud noise at work. Lasting health problems were the furthest thing from your mind.
You probably know differently today. Noise-induced hearing loss can show up in children as young as 12. But did you know that sound is so powerful that it can even be used as a weapon?
Can You Get Sick From Sound?
In short, yes. It’s evident to doctors and scientists alike that specific sound can make you sick. Here’s why.
How Health is Affected by Loud Noise
Really loud sounds harm the inner ear. You have little hairs that pick up +
vibrations after they go through the membrane of the eardrum. These hairs never regenerate once they are destroyed. Many people, as they age, deal with sensorineural hearing loss caused by this.
Dangerous volume begins at 85 decibels for an 8 hour period of time. It only takes 15 minutes for long-term impairment to occur at 100 dB. A rock concert is around 120 decibels, which triggers immediate, permanent damage.
Noises can also affect cardiovascular health. Obesity, high blood pressure, clogged arteries, and other vascular problems can be the outcome of increased stress hormones brought on by excessively loud noise. This may explain the memory and headache issues that people exposed to loud noise complain about. Cardiovascular health is directly linked to these symptoms.
Actually, one study revealed that sound volumes that begin to affect the heart, and hormones are as low a 45 decibels. A person speaking with a quiet indoor voice is at this volume level.
Your Health is Impacted by Some Sound Frequencies – This is How
Cuban diplomats became sick after being subjected to certain sounds several years ago. The sound in Cuba wasn’t that loud. They were able to block it out with a television. How could it have made people ill?
Frequency is the answer.
High Frequency
Even at lower volumes, appreciable damage can be done by some high-frequency sound.
Have you ever cringed when somebody scratched their nails on a chalkboard? Have you been driven nuts by someone continuously dragging their finger over a folded piece of paper? Does the shrill sound of a violin put you on edge?
If you’ve felt the power of high-frequency sounds, the pain you felt was in fact damage being done to your hearing. The damage could have become irreversible if you’ve subjected yourself to this sort of sound repeatedly for longer periods of time.
Studies have also found that you don’t even have to be able to hear the sound. Harmful frequencies can come from lots of common devices such as machinery, trains, sensors, etc.
Low Frequency
Your health can also be impacted by infrasound which is extremely low frequency sound. It can vibrate the body in such a way that you feel nauseous and dizzy. Some individuals even experience migraine symptoms like flashes of color and light.
Safeguarding Your Hearing
Know 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 understand how your hearing may be changing over time, get in touch with a hearing specialist for an examination.