BLOG: A lack of noise education is producing a generation with hearing loss - Echo Barrier. 21 November 2013 A recent study into sound found that an astonishing 16% of teenagers – approximately 6 million children – suffer from permanent noise-induced hearing loss. Technical director Peter Wilson looks into why this is a problem that needs solving.
This number has grown in recent years due to the rise in popularity of gadgets such as iPods and other MP3 players and the effects of high levels of noise in clubs and music venues. But there also seems to be a lack of awareness among young people about the dangers of noise pollution and something urgently needs to be done about that. The warning signs have been there for quite some time. In 2002 a number of children were questioned about noise and the effect it can have on health. But when the teenagers were interviewed again five years later, the researchers found that nearly half of respondents had experienced some form of ear problems with 77% complaining of tinnitus and 40% of trouble hearing and ear pain. Share. Evidence on transport noise and health.
Apr292014 Professor Stephen Stansfeld of Queen Mary University London has worked on numerous of studies looking at the impacts of transport noise on health. He gives an overview of the current evidence from, and activity in, this field of work. In the past the research topic of environmental noise and health has been something of a Cinderella subject, but recently there have been an increasing number of large studies of community populations examining the effects of noise on high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and stroke. These studies find that there are effects of environmental noise on these outcomes.
Recent studies of aircraft noise exposure have been finding that high levels of exposure are not only related to hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease but also to mortality. Prof Stephen Stansfeld. How To Clean Your Ears Correctly. Is reaching for a q-tip your default cleaning solution? If so, you’ll want to listen up – before you no longer can. Q-tips are fabulously sized for wiggling wax around and clearing ear canals, right? Wrong. The Unassuming Enemy: As a q-tip is almost the exact same size as the ear canal, it only serves to force wax and dirt further into the ear canal. The Way Forward: So how should we be cleaning our canals then? 1) Make 110% sure that your ears are in good health before cleaning them. 2) Use a wax softening solution (Bionix Otoclear Ear Wax Remover ) and an applicator to loosen any accumulated wax. 3) Tilt your head to the side with the ear you are cleaning facing upward to prevent fluid spilling. 4) Finally, use a rubber bulb syringe to squeeze lukewarm water into the ear canal very gently.
And there you go. Good to Know: How often should you clean your ears? Over cleaning can result in damaging the sensitive skin of the ear canal – potentially causing inflammation or infection. International Shipping Costs. Hearing Loss in Children. Hearing loss is a common problem and is said to affect 1 in 6 people in the UK to some degree, and about 2 in every 100 kids under the age of 18. Hearing and speech are two essential tools for kids: they use them for learning, playing and developing social skills.
When kids suffer from hearing loss that is not yet treated it can start affecting their speech and language development, causing social problems and academic issues. Types Sensorineural – caused by damage to the inner ear, also known as the cochlea or the auditory nerve.Conductive – caused when sounds cannot pass through the outer and middle ear into the inner ear. This is often caused by blockages such as ear wax in the outer ear, or fluid in the middle ear, also called glue ear. Glue ear is a very common condition, especially in pre-school children. There is a slight possibility that both types can be found in combination with each other, however this is slim.
Causes How to Tell Prevention. How to Choose the Right Earphones. Specifications There are many different models of earphones but there are a few determining factors to help you narrow your choices such as your planned usage, sound quality, isolation, comfort and fit. All of which will be discussed to give you the basic knowledge you need to choose the right model for your purpose. So whether you’re on the road, at the gym or in the recording studio, you need the best quality audio equipment that combines the highest standard of performance with reliable hearing protection.
Pro-quality earphones are not only designed for applications like performances and other critical listening uses but can also be used for daily use. So where to start? When you compare different earphones by listening, you will hear differences that are caused by what is referred to as “sweetening” – the EQing of the earphones to make the music sound better. What to Look for... Comfort and Fit The comfort and fit of earphones are important factors when choosing the perfect set.
Cables. The Gift of Hearing. Protect Your Ears This Football Season. As the Football season gets going, we just want to emphasise the importance of hearing protection in noisy football stadiums. You always see parents protecting their children’s ears from high levels of stadium noise; however, most spectators do not take care of their own hearing. Did you know that noise levels at football stadiums can reach 110-120 dbs?
And, the uproar of a goal being scored can reach 100dbs. Part of the experience of going to watch games live is interacting with other fans, and feeling that your cheering voice has helped with the team’s performance. Investing in a pair of reusable plugs is the best option as they are cost effective and will save you money in the long run. The ER20 range is low cost, re-usable and High Fidelity (replicate the ear's natural frequency response, meaning they protect the ear against dangerously high levels of noise, but do not muffle voices and the surrounding environment at all) noise protection ear plugs. Festival Ears: Protect Your Ears While Jamming Throughout The Night.
Did you know that noise levels around the stage at music festivals can reach 110 decibels or more? That's like standing next to a jackhammer drilling into concrete or listening to a jet engine taking off for 15 minutes. And if you are a regular festival goer, spending too long listening to loud music can cause permanent damage to your ears, resulting in problems such as tinnitus and hearing loss. Volumes exceeding 85 decibels is the level at which serious ear damage can set in. Tinnitus, which is a constant, painful ringing in the ears making it difficult to sleep and causing dizziness and loss of equilibrium, is just one problem which can very quickly occur at these levels and is irreversible.
It is important to invest in a good pair of ear plugs if you are one of those fans that like to stand close to the stage. DJs and musicians have been wearing earplugs for years, so why shouldn’t you protect your ears? 1. 2. Available inStandard, clear stem, blue tipLarge, clear stem, white tip. Cherish Your Hearing: Do You Need to Turn Down the Volume? Prevent Noise Induced Hearing Loss Loud noise can damage the sensitive structures of the inner ear and result in permanent hearing loss. This is known as Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) and can happen instantly or over a period of time. Take heed if you experience any of the following symptoms: You struggle to follow conversations Your ears feel “full” after being exposed to loud noiseYou experience a ringing or buzzing (tinnitus) in your ears You can’t hear high-pitched sounds such as a baby crying Hearing Protection Devices Sound levels are measured in decibels (dB) and are helpful to establish whether or not you should wear hearing protection devices (HPD) such as ear plugs or ear muffs.
Hearing protection should be worn in any instance where sound exceeds 85dB, such as when you are: Near power tools, any noisy machinery or loud enginesFiring guns or fireworks At a loud concert Just4Ears’s range of superior ear plugs includes: Etymotic HD15 Electronic Noise Protection. Make the Most of Your Summer Soundtrack. Summer is the time we fling open our doors and feel inspired to be more active. Whether your idea of being active means flipping a steak on the barbeque, a run with your dog or a weekend away at a festival, there’s nothing like warmer days to get us going.
And what complements all of this perfectly? Indeed – your favourite music! Just4Ears are passionate about good sound and offer products to rev up your summer soundtrack, whatever your needs: Active and Travelling The summer air beckons us to get fit outside. Etymotic MC5 Earphones Price: £49.99 Product info: Excellent sound accuracy 85%+ accuracy scoreTight bass with crystal clear high frequency detail Best noise isolation, 35 dB - 42 dB of noise isolationDocumented highest noise isolation of any earphones or headphones on the market todayAn assortment of noise-isolating ACCU•Fit eartip options ensure proper seal and comfortCUSTOM•FIT option available2-year replacement warrantyProgrammable Noise-isolation Feature using our AWARENESS!
HowStuffWorks "How to Care for Your Ears: Tips and Guidelines" Voltaire called the ear the "road to the heart. " It seems an apt description. Consider how a child's cry, a romantic song, or the thump of a neighbor's stereo at 3 a.m. can stir your emotions. Ears not only let us hear, but they also play a role in maintaining our balance, which is vital to our ability to function in daily life. Yet, we ignore them. We can't even see our ears, except in a mirror. We take for granted what they do for us day in and day out -- until we notice something's wrong, such as when an earache strikes or when we start having to ask people to repeat what they say. ">Protecting Your EarsEveryone knows that loud noises can damage your ears, but there are many other ways to injure the delicate mechanisms that allow us to hear.
This information is solely for informational purposes. How to fix common hearing aid problems. Egypt: Deaf Bakery in Cairo. Hearing Aids - Problems & Solutions. Hearing aids can make all the difference between poor and excellent hearing. However, as with most technical devices, they can give problems from time to time. We’ve taken a look at some of the most common hearing aid problems with relevant suggestions. The Sound is Distorted Check the battery to see if it’s running low and replace if necessary.The battery contacts may be corroded or filthy – open and close the battery compartment a few times.The battery itself may be dirty or corroded in which case the battery surfaces should be cleaned with a dry cloth or replaced.The hearing aid may have switched to telecoil in which instance simply switch to microphone signal (M).Make sure the volume setting is not too high.
Sound is Not Loud Enough Check if the receiver tube is clear and clean out any blockage. If the tube appears frayed or moist it might need to be replaced.Remove any earwax from the hearing aid.See your hearing professional as your hearing might have changed. Hearing Aid is Dead. Caring for your Ears – What You Need to Know About Earwax. What Problems Can Earwax Cause? When too much ear wax is produced or if the ear wax can’t escape from the ear canal easily, various health problems can arise: EaracheTemporary hearing lossItchinessTinnitus (Hearing sounds from inside your body instead of sounds from around you)DizzinessRinging in the earPlugged or fullness sensationVertigoExternal ear canal infectionMiddle ear infection When Do You Need to See a Doctor?
As soon as you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, it’s advisable to see a doctor or a nurse. A doctor or nurse will be able to diagnose your problem by listening to your symptoms and by looking into your ear with an auriscope or otoscope. How Can You Prevent Earwax Problems? Put down those ear buds! Hearing aid and earplug users often also report more ear wax problems.
What Products Can I Use to Treat or Prevent Ear Wax Problems? Otoferm Comfort Creme Bionix Otoclear Ear Wax Remover This product safely clears the ear canal of wax and debris Earol Olive Oil Spray. Starkey Hearing Foundation | So the World May Hear. Sound. A drum produces sound via a vibrating membrane. Sound is a vibration that propagates as a mechanical wave of pressure and displacement, through some medium (such as air or water).
Sometimes sound refers to only those vibrations with frequencies that are within the range of hearing for humans[1] or for a particular animal. Acoustics[edit] Acoustics is the interdisciplinary science that deals with the study of all mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician while someone working in the field of acoustical engineering may be called an acoustical engineer.[2] (Not to be confused with an audio engineer.) Physics of sound[edit] Propagation of sound[edit] The behavior of sound propagation is generally affected by three things: A relationship between density and pressure.
Spherical compression (longitudinal) waves Longitudinal and transverse waves[edit] Speed of sound[edit] U.S. Father’s Day Ear Plug Gifts. Father’s Day is around the corner – next Sunday, 15 June, is the perfect day to spoil dad! This Father’s Day, why not opt for a practical gift that will benefit his hearing health for years to come? Just4Ears offers ear plugs to suit every dad’s lifestyle. The Outdoor Dad If you can’t keep your dad indoors for long before he’s off on a hunting trip, Just4Ears’s Etymotic Gunport Ear Protection is just what he’ll need. The High Definition active electronic hearing protection was designed specifically for gun sport enthusiasts, professional shooters, guides, instructors and hunters. The ear plugs have a dual-mode switch, making it possible to switch between natural hearing and blast protection mode - this allows natural hearing until the blast happens.
The DIY Dad If you’re fortunate enough to have a fix-it-all, build-it-all dad, why not spoil him with Etymotic Electronic Noise Protection earplugs? The Active Dad The Muso Dad.