HEARING 14
Ashburton Guardian
ADVERTISING FEATURE
Saturday, March 3, 2018
Noise destroys Thankfully these days we are increasingly mindful of the damage caused by various forms of pollution. But one type of pollution is sometimes overlooked. Noise pollution. Today, Saturday March 3, is World Hearing Day. In this country the National Foundation for the Deaf is extending that into a week of raising awareness to prevent noise induced hearing loss. Noise induced hearing loss is caused by exposure to excessive sound levels. It commonly occurs due to repeated exposure to noise over a long period of time. This can happen in the workplace, or can arise recreationally from attendance at loud concerts or the use of loud audio appliances or power tools. A single event such as an explosion can cause noise induced hearing loss if the intensity is loud enough. Sound pressure caused by noise destroys the delicate nerve cells in the inner ear that transmit sound messages to the brain. The nerve cells are replaced by scar tissue which does not respond to sound. The damage is painless but permanent. Hearing aids can be helpful but cannot restore normal hearing.
Excessive exposure to noise is a known cause of one third of hearing loss in New Zealanders. The higher the noise level and the longer the exposure, the greater the damage done. But the good news is it’s not too late to start preventing damage. There are three key things which can be done to prevent noise-induced hearing loss: • Wear hearing protection when you are exposed to loud noise. • Limit the amount of time exposed to loud noise. • Turn down the volume on personal music players – headphones are preferable to earbuds, which play the music close to eardrums. Last year the Ashburton Branch of the Hearing Association celebrated its 60th anniversary. Based at the Seniors Centre 206 Cameron Street the Hearing Association provides support for those whose hearing is impaired and always welcomes enquiries from anyone seeking assistance either personally or for others. Far from allowing hearing impairment to disrupt their lives many local people have supported one another through membership of the Ashburton Hearing Association. This year the Age Concern
• Noise induced hearing loss is preventable!
Ashburton Positive Ageing Expo taking place at the Ashburton Racecourse on Thursday March 8, coincides with Hearing Awareness Week and the Hearing Association will be among the many groups present at that event. The Hearing Association encourages the use of hearing protection because hearing impairment is an unfair and unseen disability, which can cause all sorts of problems for the sufferer and others. Hearing impairment can place a huge strain on relationships and lead to all manners of misunderstanding. Good hearing is a blessing so we need to protect our ears. Deafness cannot always be prevented but it’s nothing short of madness to put our hearing at unnecessary risk. Information about Hearing Awareness Week and helpful hints about protecting our hearing can be found on the National Foundation for the Deaf website www.nfd.org.nz Work Safe NZ has excellent workplace noise prevention resources on their website www.worksafe.govt.nz The theme of Hearing Awareness Week 2018 is Hear the Future let’s do all we can to help us do just that.
Your Ears – How Ears Hear Our ears are wonderfully sophisticated organs that convert sound waves into electrical signals our brain can understand. AT A GLANCE
HOW EARS WORK
Ears catch sound waves, change them into nerve impulses, and send them to the brain for interpretation.
Ears pick up sound waves.
Three parts of the ear work together to help us hear. 1. The outer ear 2. The middle ear 3. The inner ear. But that’s not all – ears keep us upright! They are our main organs of balance.
Outer Ear The sound waves first go into the outer ear. This is what we traditionally think of as our ears. It’s the part of the ear we can see. Sound waves are picked up by the pinna, and sent down the ear canal. The ear canal makes some sounds stronger. The sound waves hit the ear drum and make it vibrate, transmitting this vibration into the middle ear.
By Russell Anstiss and Bernard Egan who are both on the Executive of the Ashburton Hearing Association
• One in six New Zealanders – over 880,350 people are affected by hearing loss. • Exposure to noise is a known cause of ONETHIRD of hearing loss. • One of the main consequences of hearing loss is a reduced capacity to communicate. • Decibels (dB) are used to measure sound level. A small increase in decibels dramatically increases sound pressure. An 80dB sound has TEN TIMES more sound pressure than a 70dB sound, and 100 times for pressure than a 60dB sound. • The level of noise at a nightclub or concert, at 100dB or over, can be as loud as, or louder, than a chainsaw – this can damage a person’s hearing after just 15 minutes of exposure. • Damage to hearing is cumulative. The louder the sound, the less time one can safely listen to it.
Caring For Your Ears Your ears, and therefore your hearing, can be damaged by trauma, infection, or even excessive personal hygiene. The hearing mechanisms are delicate. aT a gLanCE
is wax causing a problem?
• Never put anything inside an ear to remove wax or to scratch
Wax can build up and block the ear canal. It is more common in men.
• Keep the ear canal free of obstructions
This usually happens if the ear canal is narrow or hairs or a hearing aid mould are obstructing it. Symptoms of wax build up include dull hearing, tinnitus, earache, vertigo, coughing, a feeling that the ear is plugged up, and sometimes jaw and facial pain.
• Some ear infections can damage hearing • Physical trauma can rupture your ear drum and damage the delicate bones of the middle ear • Protect your ears from loud noise. Ear WaX What is it? Ear wax is normal. It’s a natural protector of the ear. Ear wax is produced in the ear canal, by the cerumen and sebum glands. The discharge from these glands, skin flakes, dust and other debris create wax which works its way to the entrance of the ear. As we get older, ear wax can become drier.
HEARING ASSOCIATION NEW ZEALAND Te Kahui Rongo o Aotearoa
HEAR HERE! Hearing loss at a glance INFORMATION CARD 1: HOW EARS HEAR
HEARING ASSOCIATION NEW ZEALAND Te Kahui Rongo o Aotearoa
What to do about it? Never put anything in the ear to remove wax – this has been known to damage the ear drum and the delicate bones of the middle ear. Only excessive wax or wax causing a problem should be removed. Put a couple of drops of olive or almond oil into the ear and check again in a couple of days.
HEAR HERE! Hearing loss at a glance INFORMATION CARD 10: Caring For Your Ears