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The Noise Levels in Stadiums can cause Permanent Hearing Loss

“If you are among thousand of exhilarated football fans screaming and yelling in a stadium you better watch out for your hearing, or the consequences could be serious.” - www.hear.it.co.za

The following results were found in a study requested by the South African Association for Audiologists and conducted by Francois Malherbe, a professional acoustics consultant: The full results of the detailed study can be viewed at www.audiologysa.co.za.

Next to age, noise is the most common cause of permanent hearing loss. No matter how young or old a person is, exposure to harmful sounds causes irreversible damage to the sensitive structure of the inner ear. Exposure to a High-impact noise such as vuvuzelas in a public football stadium, results in sensori-neural hearing loss. This hearing loss, also known as nerve deafness, is mainly caused by damage to the pathways for sound impulses from the hair cells in the cochlea of the inner ear, or damage to the nerve pathways from the inner ear (retro-cochlear) to the brain. Sensori-neural hearing loss, in most cases, cannot be medically or surgically corrected. Most people do not realise that this type of hearing loss is permanent.

Noise exposure over a period of time, can cause tinnitus. In Latin, the word Tinnitus means to ‘ring like a bell’. It is the perception of sound heard in one or both ears or in the mind, in the absence of an external sound source.

Louise Hugo, a member of the South African Association of Audiologists, warns that it is essential to ‘listen’ to your ears. An activity is dangerously loud when…. According to the South African Association of Audiologists there are ways in which the public can prevent noise induced hearing loss. It starts by practicing ‘good hearing health’ and using hearing protection when exposed to dangerously loud sounds. Any audiologist will be able to advise the public on the best type of hearing protectors. The public can locate their nearest audiologist by visiting www.audiologysa.co.za and following the ‘Find an Audiologist’ link or alternatively contacting the toll free number: 0861 101 924.

Using correct and customised hearing protectors will effectively protect hearing, even in extreme noisy environments. It is made possible by filtering devices that attenuates all frequencies, operating more actively in high frequencies, where instruments such as vuvuzelas, cause the most damage. Hearing protectors will enable the user to communicate in a noisy environment, while simultaneously being protected against hearing damage.

The South African Association of Audiologists wishes to express its concern for football players on the field. They find it increasingly difficult to hear the referee as well as team mates in addition to being exposed to the extreme noise levels in stadiums. It will be a sad day if a match is lost due to confusion caused by poor hearing on the field.

The South African Association of Audiologists wishes to express their gratitude towards Oticon with regards to their combined efforts to inform the Public about the dangers of extreme noise exposure.

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Carina Wolmarans
President
South African Associations of Audiologists