BENGALURU: With nearly 2,500 new vehicles added every day to the streets of Bengaluru, it is no wonder that the city suffers from noise pollution. But what is alarming is that Bengalureans are turning deaf, especially those who are between 25 and 40 years old.
Humans can ideally tolerate up to 60 decibels and 120 decibels is termed unpleasant. Walking through the city, people are exposed to about 80 decibels and, on signals, that can jump to 120 decibels, say experts.
“A lot of people have gone deaf in the last five years,” says Dr Susheen Dutt, consultant ENT and head and neck surgeon at Fortis Hospital. “I used to see about one or two patients suffering from noise-induced hearing loss once in three months. Now I get two or three patients every fortnight,” adds Dr Susheen. Even for Dr Prashant Reddy, ENT surgeon, the number of patients with the “buzzing” sound in their ear, has increased. “The symptom is called Tinnitus and is caused because of noise exposure,” says Dr Prashant.
“The number of patients has increased by about five per cent compared to the last few years,” he shares. “And the age of the patients is not above 45,” he adds. As for the ENT department in Narayana Health City hospital, 10 per cent of the patients they see daily suffer from noise-induced hearing loss.
Even though, hearing loss because of old age is the number one cause of deafness, noise pollution is becoming the second biggest cause of deafness, agrees the doctors. “Urbanisation and traffic especially in Bengaluru is causing the second major cause of deafness,” says Dr Santhosh Velu PV, consultant ENT from Vikram Hospital. “Even children are becoming more vulnerable to noise induced hearing loss,” he adds.
B’luru is louder than other cities
“Noise pollution in the city has worsened in the last few years. The central areas of the city, mainly MG Road and Mysore Road, Old Airport Road and Old Madras Road produce high level of noise in peak hours,” says Lakshman, chairman of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).
The 2017 report on noise pollution monitored by KSPCB shows a whooping increase in noise pollution especially in the residential and sensitive areas such as hospitals and religious places by exceeding nearly 39 per cent of its limits.
“We monitor day time which is from 6 am to 10 pm and night time which is 10 pm to 6 am. What is surprising is that noise pollution has increased even at night time,” says an official from KSPCB.
Traffic cops, BMTC bus drivers affected
Doctors agree that the age-group of patients is between 25 and 45. “Cab drivers and traffic police are the main victims of this,” says Dr Prashant.
“60 to 80 per cent of the traffic police have hearing impairment if exposed to continuous noise of more than 90 decibels for three years and above,” says Dr Nikita A Kariappa, a specialist from Aster CMI hospital. ”Around 0.5 per cent of IT professionals travelling long distances have noise induced hearing problems,” adds Dr Nikita.
Ajay Gowda (name changed), a 40-year-old became hard of hearing in five years of his driving career. “In all his 35-years he was well but then he started turning deaf gradually after taking up driving and now he has lost 50 decibels of hearing capacity,” says Dr Santhosh.
“Most of my patients are from the IT sector, who drive a long way to reach work,” says Dr Susheen. About four weeks ago Manish Shetty (name changed), a software professional, was driving en-route to work, when suddenly a truck honked from the right side of the the signal. His right window was left open so the noise caused acute trauma to his right ear. While his right ear was damaged to 60 decibels, his left ear severed 30.
A 28-year-old courier boy was told to quit his job by Dr Santhosh. Even BMTC bus drivers are equally affected with this noise pollution, says Dr Prashant.“So far the only treatment is the hearing aid,” says Dr Susheen.
Bengaluru worse off than other cities?
Experts say the inefficient public-transport system leaves Bengaluru more exposed to noise pollution, when compared to other cities. The increased buying capacity of Bengalureans, where a single small house boasts of two cars, contributes to the problem, says Dr Susheen. A spokesperson from KSPCB says that rise in noise pollution is mainly because of the high number of new vehicles introduced every day. “Even the behaviour of the people, because they are always in a rush, is contributing to the problem,” adds a KSPCB official.
Besides deafness, noise pollution also causes depression, headache, anxiety, chronic fatigue and accidents.So far the sad reality is that there is no real treatment to cure noise-induced hearing loss. If the hearing is detected at an early stage, which would mean up to 30 decibels, supplements are given and many are advised to keep away from the unpleasant noise.
How to remedy it
Pedestrians can shut their ears when they hear a loud horn or signal beep.
Cab drivers can close the windows of the car so that the noise is minimised and traffic police can use ear plugs.
Dr Prashant Reddy, ENT surgeon, says that traffic cops use masks to fight air pollution. So why not use ear plugs to protect their hearing?
Those working in factories should also use ear plugs. “Though the companies provide them, I have seen that people don’t use it,” says Dr Prashant, who regularly conducts awareness programmes on this issue.
Self diagnosis
The first symptom of noise-induced hearing loss is a constant buzzing sound, which is similar to mosquitoes buzzing, say doctors.
When people say that you talk louder than required, get a check. “Most people talk loudly as and when their hearing gets affected because they themselves cannot hear well enough,” says Dr Prashant.
Do you turn up the TV volume?
See how many times you tell others to repeat what they are saying.