One of the most visible global changes happening worldwide, Poland included, is ongoing urbanization. This process has its benefits but may also cause severe environmental threats, such as noise, which negatively influences health and quality of life. Its main sources are industrial facilities, roads, railways, and air traffic. Noise is one of the most harmful and cumbersome types of environmental pollution.

The International Noise Awareness Day has been celebrated worldwide since 1995. It started as an initiative of the Center for Hearing and Communication, which wants to raise awareness of the detrimental effects of noise and its constant presence in the life of a contemporary human. This year, it will be celebrated for the 29th time. In Poland, the Acoustic Hygiene Association initiated the International Noise Awareness Day in 2000.

– We are exposed mainly to environmental noise, especially traffic noise. Millions of Poles experience it every day without even noticing or realizing that it’s a serious health risk. Yet, a hearing impairment may be caused even by an 85 dB sound generated by a truck. If someone experiences such “acoustic smog” for 7- 8 hours daily, they will surely have their hearing cells damaged after some years – emphasizes Prof. Henryk Skarżyński, director of the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, national consultant in the field of otolaryngology.

Noise, defined as excessive emission of acoustic energy, is one of the main causes of hearing impairment among 466 million people around the world who suffer from moderate or severe hearing loss. A sound becomes harmful when it reaches 65 dB. Such a sound level is produced, e.g., by traffic. It impairs hearing and negatively impacts health because it increases the stress level, thus raising the risk of hypertension, and sleep and cognitive disorders. According to the World Health Organization, research on the harmfulness of noise provides more and more evidence of other health risks, such as adverse birth outcomes and mental health problems. In addition, the risk of a stroke increases up to 27 percent among people over 65 exposed to prolonged noise. Noise also releases cortisol – the stress hormone.

– Moderate and larger noise doses cause the audibility threshold to rise, which leads to periodic loss of normal hearing sensitivity. Such “temporary deafness” usually stops after a few minutes, hours, or days, depending on the dosage, level, and noise exposure time. A repeated periodic loss of hearing sensitivity progressively becomes a permanent hearing impairment. People stop hearing quiet noises. Instead, they hear whistling, squeaking, ringing, tapping, knocking – warns Prof. Henryk Skarżyński.

5 out of 10 people listen to too loud music, and 4 out of 10 people stay too close to dangerously loud noises during concerts or sports events. WHO estimates that 1.1 billion young people (aged 12-35) may have hearing loss due to excessive noise exposure in recreational spaces.

What levels of noise do we experience every day? These are some examples: 65-95 dB electric lawnmower, 70 dB highway traffic, 85 dB noisy restaurant, 90 dB shouted conversation, 95 dB electric drill, 95-110 dB motorcycle, 90-115 dB subway, 100 dB school disco, 110 dB video game arcade, 110 dB symphony concert and car horn, 117 dB football stadium, 120 dB rock concert, 120 dB pneumatic drills and heavy machinery, ambulance siren, 150 dB fireworks.

Hearing impairment caused by noise accumulates throughout one’s life. Often, when a person realizes they have a hearing loss, it is too late.

Three steps to better hearing

Reduce noise exposure

Exposure to everyday noises may cause permanent hearing loss if the volume is too loud. The choice of how you will protect your hearing is yours: reduce the music volume, avoid prolonged exposure to a loud environment, and educate your kids.

Get your hearing tested

It takes only five minutes with a licensed diagnostician to determine whether your hearing is in good shape.

Continue testing if recommended

Get a complex diagnosis of your hearing and act according to your audiologist’s recommendations. Your health and the quality of life depend on it.

– Let’s start to appreciate silence. In ancient China, noise exposure was considered a severe punishment: “Those who dare to offend the highest one will not be hanged, beheaded, or shackled, but will be sentenced to listen incessantly to the pipes, beating of drums and shouts until he drops dead, for it is the most agonizing death a man can die…” – such was the order of Minister Ming Ti. We are often unaware that our irritability and cardiovascular and metabolic disorders are often caused by noise. We are not aware of how noise can damage health. Humans are part of the natural environment – they co-create it but are also dependent on it. As the Polish scientific community, we acknowledge the crisis of our planet, the “acoustic smog” included. The crisis affects the health of individuals and the condition of whole societies, so we chose the motto “One Health – Jedno Zdrowie” as the keynote of last year’s 5th Health of Poles Congress. A crisis affecting one area also affects others. Let’s keep this in mind – said Prof. Henryk Skarżyński.

Protect your hearing, protect your health! Don’t wait until it’s too late! Start now!