High Blood Pressure and Other Diseases Due to Noise
Exposure to high-intensity noise leads to arousal and stress. We would therefore expect that stress-related illnesses (such as high blood pressure, ulcers, etc.) might increase with exposure to disturbing noise. However, research in this area is not conclusive. Scientists have found weak evidence that noise is a contributing factor to disease. This can be explained by the fact that exposure to high-intensity noise stimulates skin cells, constricts blood vessels near the skin's surface, raises blood pressure, and increases certain skin secretions. These physiological changes are accompanied by tension and vascular disturbances. However, no controlled laboratory studies have been conducted to confirm a direct link between noise and heart disease. Studies that have focused on correlation coefficients have shown that noise is associated with reports of acute and chronic illnesses, increased use of sleeping pills, and the need for doctor visits or consultations. Studies have found a link between maternal exposure to aircraft noise and fetal death. Numerous other studies have investigated the health problems of industrial workers related to noise exposure. These studies concluded that exposure to high-intensity noise is associated with cardiovascular disorders, allergies, sore throats, and digestive problems. Research has also shown that young workers with limited work experience suffer more from noise exposure than others, demonstrating that workers with technical experience have adapted their hearing to noise.
The effects of noise are primarily linked to factors such as industrial pollutants, work-related stress, and economic pressures, or they may be limited to those with a predisposition to certain physiological disturbances.
(Noise)... Stay away from it, or else!
Loud, intense noises can rupture the eardrum or other parts of the ear. Hearing loss occurs at lower levels due to permanent or temporary damage to the delicate hair cells in the cochlea of the inner ear. When hearing loss occurs at a specific frequency, a sound louder than the person's normal hearing is required for that frequency to be heard. The typical indicator of hearing loss at a specific frequency is the number of decibels that exceed the normal frequencies required for the person to reach the new threshold. Hearing loss falls into one of two categories:
1- Temporary threshold displacement: In this case, the displaced thresholds return to their original normal levels within 16 hours after the removal of the disruptive noise.
2- Displacements that persist for a month or more after the cessation of exposure to the disruptive noise. This type is called noise-induced hearing loss.