When you were younger you most likely had no clue that turning up the volume on your music could result in health problems. You were just having a good time listening to your tunes.
You had fun when you were growing up, going to loud concerts and movies. It might even be normal for you to have experienced loud noise at work. Lasting health issues were the furthest thing from your mind.
Now that you are older and more mature, you more likely know better. Children as young as 12 can have long-term noise-induced hearing impairment. But did you realize that sound is so powerful that it can even be used as a weapon?
Can You Get Sick From Sound?
Actually, it Can. Particular sounds can evidently make you ill according to scientists and doctors. This is the reason why.
How Health is Impacted by Loud Noise
Extremely loud sounds harm the inner ear. After sound passes through the membrane of the eardrum it’s picked up by little hairs in the ears. These hairs never grow back once they are destroyed. Many people, as they age, deal with sensorineural hearing loss caused by this.
Over 85 dB of volume for an 8 hour period will start to cause lasting damage. It only takes 15 minutes for lasting damage to set in at 100 dB. At 120 dB, the volume of a rock concert, immediate, lasting damage will happen.
Noises can also impact cardiovascular health. Subjection to loud sounds can boost stress hormones, which can lead to High blood pressure, clogged arteries, obesity, and more. So when people who are exposed to loud noise complain about headaches and memory loss, this may explain why. These are strongly connected to the health of your cardiovascular system.
In fact, one study revealed that sound volumes that begin to impact the heart, and hormones are as low a 45 decibels. A person talking with a quiet indoor voice is at this volume level.
How Sound Frequency Affects Health
Several years ago, diplomats in Cuba got sick when subjected to sounds. The sound in Cuba wasn’t that loud. It could even be drowned out by a television. So how could this type of sound make people sick?
Frequency is the answer.
High Frequency
Even at lower volumes, considerable damage can be done by some high-frequency sound.
Have you ever cringed when someone 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?
Damage was being done to your hearing if you’ve ever experienced pain from high-pitched sound. The damage could have become irreversible if you’ve exposed yourself to this kind of sound repeatedly for longer time periods.
Research has also discovered that damage can happen even if you can’t hear the sound. Damaging frequencies can come from many common devices like sensors, trains, machinery, etc.
Low Frequency
Extremely low-frequency sound called “infrasound” can also impact your health. The vibrations can make you feel disoriented and physically sick. Some people even experience migraine symptoms such as flashes of light and color.
How You Can Protect Your Hearing
Recognize how particular sounds make you feel. Limit your exposure if particular sounds make you feel pain or other symptoms. 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 examination.