BENGALURU: As much fun as a visit to a favourite pub sounds, doctors say the loud music may have serious consequences. Many patients in the age group of 25 to 45 years are seeking medical help now, complaining of temporary hearing loss or buzzing sound in the ear, after repeated exposure to high decibel sounds at pubs. In extreme cases, it may also lead to loss of hearing, doctors say.
Exposure to noise levels over 85 dB can lead to damage to the hearing cells, Dr Girish Anand MS, consultant-ENT, Aster CMI Hospital, said. “Noise levels at pubs may reach up to 110 decibels, which definitely cause damage to the ears. It can lead to a weakening of the hearing cells in the initial stages, called temporary threshold, for about 3-4 hours, after which the cells revert to normal. However, some people develop permanent damage to the cells, leading to hearing loss,” he said, adding that people may also experience sounds in the ear, called tinnitus, which suggests damage to the inner ear.
“If evaluated immediately, certain precautions can be taken to prevent further damage. Otherwise, it can lead to permanent damage which would require use of hearing aids,” Anand pointed out, talking about a 40-year-old patient who complained of severe giddiness, vomiting, decreased hearing and ear pain following a visit to a pub with his friends. He was seated next to the stereo, and the malfunctioning speaker was giving out a loud blast of sound. The man began experiencing severe pain in the ear. Medical examination found that he had suffered a tear in the eardrum. His symptoms improved after immediate medication was started, and the tear in the eardrum healed in 15 days.
The situation gets worse when people smoke or consume liquor, as alcohol causes neural issues in the body which may worsen upon exposure to loud music, Dr Subramanya Rao, consultant ENT, Head and Neck Onco Surgeon, Columbia Asia Referral Hospital, Yeshwanthpur, said. Doctors say one should take preventive measures such as avoiding seats near the stereo, using ear muffs or ear plugs, and taking breaks to step out of the noise zone.
Pub owners say they are required to keep the music volume below 65 dB. “When we apply for the music licence, the Pollution Control Board checks our volume levels, which are required to be below 65 dB,” Mukesh Tolani, the owner of Toit in Indiranagar, said, adding, “The music levels are pre-recorded on the system and we try to keep it low so that people can have conversation without any disturbance.”
Parents, take note: Noisy toys may even cause hearing loss
Suspecting that her five-year-old son had stopped responding to sounds, a mother recently took the child to an ENT specialist in the city. The child had normal hearing until then. A detailed evaluation revealed that he was suffering from moderate to severe hearing loss, for which he needed hearing aid. The doctor explored further, and discovered a startling reason – a toy police car with a siren whose sound reached over 110 decibel (dB). Noisy toys are one of the main reasons for hearing issues in infants and children, said Dr Girish Anand M S, consultant-ENT, Aster CMI Hospital, who examines five to six cases a month related to hearing loss in kids. “Some children have wax in the ears, and the problem gets resolved with its removal. Other reasons may be birth defects, high fever, etc. When children who have normal reports at birth and no other history suffer from hearing loss, it raises suspicions of noise-induced hearing loss. I have identified two such cases this month,” he added. According to Krishnakumar G, audiologist, CEO and founder of HearFon Hearing and Speech Clinic, continuous exposure to loud noises can also cause irritability in a child. “Parents should muffle noisy toys before the child is allowed to play with it,” he said.
Precautions
Use a Decibel meter app to buy toys that sound less than 85 dB.
See that the child keeps such toys away from ears
Discourage kids from using earphones for devices