Loud Noise May Cause Tumor

Listen Up! Exposure to Loud Noise May Cause Tumor & Other Health Risks
By Brian Vaszily

Bob Seger, Jeff Beck, Sting, Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton and Bob Dylan all have something in common. Their years of hard rocking have left a mark on more than just their fans -- after years of exposure to loud noise, they all now have hearing impairments.

But these hard rockers are not alone. Exposure to excessive noise is, in fact, the most common cause of hearing loss and the most common work-related disease.

Some 10 million Americans already have permanently damaged hearing from loud noise. Another 30 million are at risk right now in their homes, workplace and recreational settings, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD).

Surprisingly, though, hearing loss is only one health risk that arises from loud noise exposure. There are several other, serious, risks as well.

According to Eddie Chandler, a stress management specialist, " ... Sounds can literally make you sick. Noise pollution can increase your stress levels and create severe tension in your daily life. It can increase your heart rate, raise your blood pressure and even result in insomnia."

Acoustic Neuroma Tumor

A study to be published in the February 2006 Journal of Epidemiology found that several years of repeated exposure to loud noise increases the risk of developing a non-cancerous tumor that could cause hearing loss.

People exposed to loud noise were 1.5 times more likely to develop the tumor, called acoustic neuroma, than people who weren't exposed to loud noise on a regular basis.

The slow-growing tumor gradually presses the cranial nerve that senses sound and helps with balance. Symptoms, which typically become noticeable at age 50 or older, include hearing loss and ringing in the ears (tinnitus).

Noise Increases Heart Attack Risk

Prolonged exposure to high noise levels also increases the risk of a heart attack, according to a study published in the European Heart Journal.

The study involved 4,000 people who had been admitted to Berlin hospitals from 1998 to 2001. When it came to environmental noise (heavy traffic, machines like lawn mowers, yelling kids and barking dogs), it was found that:

• Men who were exposed for a prolonged length of time had a 50 percent higher risk of heart attack than those not exposed.
• Women who had been exposed to noise had a three times higher risk.