The human ear can be injured by the same stimuli that is intended to sense when these sounds reach levels higher than tolerable; All these injuries is known as noise trauma or acoustic trauma and is one of the clinical specialties is the Otorhinolaryngology of Hospital HLA San CarlosIn Dénia.
"The human ear can perceive sounds very low intensities and frequencies ranging between 16 sound and 20.000 hertz (Hz), but those sounds exceeding 90- 100 decibels (Db) of intensity can cause irreversible damage to cells inner ear, "says the specialist Federico De Grado Palomares.
“As an example of sound levels, we can mention the quiet homes and offices, which are around the 40 / 50 Db; when passing into an urban environment like the street, decibels scale from 60 to 80; and they ascend from 70 to 90 if we talk about the subway and other means of transport ”, details the otorrino, Federico De Grado. And he explains that “if we look at some factories, we find 90 to 110 Db, the pneumatic hammers that reach 120 and 130 Db, or the more than 140 Db of aircraft reactors and firearms deflagration”.
These indices have their impact on the human organism, provided the 36 Db are exceeded. "The psychological effects come only 36 to 60 Db, vegetative effects between 60 and 90 Db sound also add, and hearing damage already present between the 90 and 120, from this data also have the pain "he explains the doctor of HLA Hospital San Carlos Office Federico De Grado.
mental and physical effects of acoustic trauma
"The psychological effects of the sounds can be varied and depend not only on the intensity but also the time of exposure to them and individual factors may arise from simple discomfort, through inattention, fear and irritability, to problems obsession , lack of concentration, sleep disturbance, etc., "says the Dr.De Grado, and even that" ultimately, may lead to cause mood changes or mental disorders. "
As for the pathological effects of sounds, caused by intensities higher than 90 / 100 Db, they can produce irreversible damage to the organ of hearing, being more harmful the acute frequencies than the serious ones, and where the exposure time is also determinant and individual factors.
"From the point of view casual, acoustic trauma may be acute, caused by a single exposure to high intensity sounds (explosions, detonations) in proximity of the head or ear; or chronic sound trauma caused by sounds less intense but longer periods of time "as frequent and inappropriate use of helmets or headphones to listen to music," In both cases, the effects on the auditory organ are the same : lost
hearing of varying intensity, with or without other audiological symptoms (tinnitus and dizziness) ".
From the Department of Otolaryngology of Hospital San Carlos HLA recall that "these hearing damage is irreversible once in place, but if the causes are not progressive factor is eliminated. They explain that "the best solution to prevent acoustic trauma is avoided, away from the sound sources capable of generating sounds provoke or adequate personal protection can prevent or lessen the intensity of the sounds perceived."
