All posts by Doug

General Safety Issues, Hearing Protection

WHAT IS NOISE-INDUCED HEARING LOSS? (GUEST POST)

The occurrence of noise induced hearing loss is on the increase in the Western world, including Australia.  This increase is generally occurring from exposure to long periods of loud noises, and in some instances short loud noises such as an explosion.  While there are treatment options available, prevention is better than cure.  In order to prevent noise induced hearing loss, it must first be understood how it actually occurs.

How the human ear works

Every day we experience a large range of sounds via sound waves through our ears.  The Middle Ear amplifies the sound and hairs in the inner ear convert the sound waves into electrical signals so that our brains can understand what it is that we are hearing.  All pretty amazing when you think about it.

How does noise induced hearing loss occur?

While most noises we hear throughout the day are at safe levels, if we are exposed to an exceptionally loud sound (such as standing next to fireworks when they go off) or we are exposed to a loud sound for a prolonged period of time (for example working in a mechanical shop) then we can damage the hairs that convert sound in our inner ear.  This causes noise induced hearing loss.

Tips to avoid hearing damage in the workplace

First of all, it is necessary to understand what is meant by the term ‘too loud’. Any noise from 85 dB up can cause hearing loss. To put this figure into perspective, a lawn mower is between 85 and 90 dB. The louder the noise is,  the more quickly the hearing loss will occur. So follow these steps to protect your hearing.

  • Take note of how long you have been exposed to loud noise and try and have a break of 15 minutes or so to give your ears a rest.
  • Avoid noisy situations. If you have to  raise your voice to be heard then it is likely you are in a situation that is hazardous for your hearing.
  • If you can’t avoid a noisy situation, protect your hearing with either foam ear plugs or head phones.
  • If you regularly attend concerts, it may be worth investing in some custom fit musician ear plugs. Always avoid standing directly in front of speakers or amplifiers.
  • Have your hearing tested every two years particularly if you have noticed a change in your hearing. Your clinician will be able to give you further advice about protecting your hearing. 

When does noise induced hearing loss occur?

There are several ways that noise induced hearing loss can occur:

  • Prolonged exposure to noise:  If you are exposed to noise about 85 decibels for a prolonged period of time, then you can start damaging your hearing.
  • Short bursts of sounds:  Sounds above 120 decibels in short bursts can also cause hearing damage.

What are the symptoms?

Immediately after exposure to loud noise you may hear a ringing in your ears and have trouble hearing other people talk.  The length of time this lasts depends on how loud the noise you were exposed to was, and the length of period exposed.  Temporary hearing loss can also occur and for between 16 and 48 hours after an exposure to loud noise (eg., a rock concert).   Temporary hearing loss generally doesn’t have any long term effects.

The longer term symptoms of noise induced hearing loss can be difficult to diagnose at first.  The person may not notice slight changes in their hearing until it reaches a level that is unacceptable to them.  It is for this reason that regular hearing checks are needed. 

What are the treatment options?

As a first step you should make an appointment with a hearing centre.  After your assessment your audiologist will be able to discuss possible treatment options such as avoiding prolonged exposure to loud or the use of hearing aids.  Hearing aids can be very effective for noise induced hearing loss.

Noise induced hearing loss is a condition that is increasing in society.  As cities develop there are more and more opportunities for loud noises, and more chances of being exposed to loud noises for a prolonged period of time.  Both of these can cause noise induced hearing loss.

If you are experiencing noise induced hearing loss – or think you are – then it is imperative that you make an appointment to visit an audiologist to test your hearing today.  The sooner you address the problem the more opportunities you will have to limit the damage and improve your hearing.

BIO – Tanya Wilson

Tanya has over 7 years’ experience working in the hearing healthcare sector and writes hearing health care articles for Connect HearingAustralia.

Tanya’s hearing expertise enables her to focus on a range of hearing topics, including tackling common hearing issues, treatment options and new hearing technology.

General Safety Issues

Oklahoma Combats DUIs with Multi-Agency Mobilization (Guest Post)

The pervasiveness of Drunk Driving is a national, state, and local issue. Every community must find a balance between enforcing and establishing laws that promote responsible drinking and decision making, with the need to support local businesses. In Oklahoma, DUI trends have seen fluctuations over the last decade or so, but with a startling rise in alcohol-related fatalities in 2010, multi-agency initiatives have become a successful tool in combating this problem.

Since 2006, Oklahoma has seen a rise in fatalities in alcohol-related accidents from a low of 157 in 2006, to a high of 266 in 2008. Since that peak, the last three years of Oklahoma drunk driving statistics have shown that alcohol-related fatalities remain a difficult problem to fix. Even as alcohol-related crashes and injuries have seen a persistent drop since 2006 from 5,442 crashes and 4,223 injuries statewide in 2006, to just 4,411 crashes and 2,156 injuries statewide in 2011, fatalities remain high.

On a county level, Oklahoma County and Tulsa County have had the highest cumulative fatalities since 2006, with 142 fatalities in Oklahoma County since 2006. Recent efforts to combat DUI accidents in the County have shown a promising example of a multi-agency mobilization making a successful impact on the trend. On New Year’s Eve, metro-area law enforcement agencies reported 31 DUI arrests in the Oklahoma City metro area.
Between 7 p.m. December 31, 2012 and 7 a.m. January 1, 2012, multiple state and local agencies participated in 31 DUI arrests. The mobilization included the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, and the Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission. While Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement officers patrolled establishments that served alcohol, and monitored 41 locations that sell alcoholic beverages, extra officers from all agencies patrolled city streets, keeping an eye out for impaired drivers.

31 DUI arrests in a twelve hour period in one metro area may seem like a large number, but when paired with the database statistics that showed there were no fatalities in the state during that same period, the efforts seem promising. New Year’s Eve is a historically dangerous night on the roads, but initiatives like this help to decrease the number of alcohol-related crashes and fatalities.

Sent to us by Noble McIntyre, Senior Attorney

 

 

 

General Safety Issues

Dealing with Post-Exercise Pain (GUEST POST)

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I’m sure you’ve heard of the saying “no pain, no gain.” Well, one way or the other, you will always experience pain however, it doesn’t mean that you have to endure a great deal of it in order to progress much faster towards your goal. If you don’t know why you feel this pain within 24 hours of exercising, it’s due to a sensation called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Your muscle fibers get injured as a result of excessive exercising.

“Good pain” is still pain and can interfere with our everyday activities. Often times, we forget the simplest of methods in alleviating body pain before, during, and after our workout. I am no exception to this as well. Let’s remind ourselves of some of these methods shall we? 

Proper Hydration

Drinking water should come naturally for us. What most people don’t realize, however, is that you need to drink more than the usual daily recommended amount. Dehydration is a definite no-no. Personally, I drink around 500-700ml. of water for every hour of exercise / workout that I do daily. A simple indication that you are well-hydrated after you exercise is if your urine, within a few hours after your workout, is light yellow or clear. What about drinking sports drinks you ask? Well, at times, I drink both actually but if you ask me which is better, that’s another topic for another time. 

“Refuel” with Nutrients

Yet another commonly ignored method in reducing muscle pain and soreness. After your workout, it is important to replenish your energy with enough carbohydrate energy in preparation for your next workout. You need to ingest enough protein in order to repair your muscles. Try a protein shake or smoothie and/or chicken with brown rice then top it off with a piece of fruit. 

“Cool Down” after your workout

 Just as it is important to warm-up your body before subjecting it to an extreme workout, it is equally important to cool it down. You’ll want to remove inflammatory fluids in your muscles as well as sore or tight spots from the muscles you worked out. Just do some light exercises before wrapping up and then get a massage every now and then. Who doesn’t want to have a massage, right?

Apply Topical Ointments

These are just what the doctor ordered. These ointments are developed to create a cooling, pain-relieving sensation and also increase blood flow. Tiger balm and Ben-Gay are a couple of the ointments that I’ve used and would recommend. 

As mentioned earlier, if you feel pain after your workout, that’s normal. It’s the excessive pain which is troublesome. This can happen if you increased the intensity of your exercise too quickly or if your body didn’t recover properly. Just recall these simple methods that I mentioned (feel free to follow whatever else you’ve found out to be effective) and I’m sure your body will adjust to the pain in due time. 

Author Bio:

Dr. Todd Luther works at Align Integrative Health in Washington. He comes from a family of health care practitioners including a medical doctor, OB Nurse and Nurse Midwife. Practicing since 2005, Dr. Luther is confident in providing the correct diagnosis, treating your problem or referring to the correct specialist.