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ST. PAUL, Minn. — Thirty million of us make so much ear-damaging noise
in our own homes or in our recreational activities that we are risking
serious hearing damage.
Whether you deem it a temporary annoyance or aggravation, noise is the
leading cause of hearing loss, affecting an estimated 10 million
Americans. To combat the problem in Minnesota, the Sight & Hearing
Association — a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention of
vision and hearing loss — is offering free hearing screenings statewide
on Wednesday, April 21.
The goal of the day, proclaimed International Noise Awareness Day, is to
educate the public about the dangers of noise to hearing and health.
Following are several activities planned for the 4th annual
International Noise Awareness Day :
Free hearing screenings in the Twin Cities metro area, Rochester,
Duluth, St. Cloud and Thief River Falls (see list);
Dissemination of free ear plugs at all screening sites;
Students teaching students about hearing conservation. Students from
Blaine High School will wrap up a year-long Know Noise Peer Education
Program, coordinated by the Sight & Hearing Association, in which they
teach third-graders at McKinley Elementary School lessons on the
importance of hearing;
60-Seconds of No Noise. From 2:15-2:16 p.m., the public is encouraged
to experience a minute of silence.
“The problem of noise-induced hearing loss has been around for decades,”
said Julee Sylvester, spokesperson for the Sight & Hearing Association,
“affecting factory workers, farmers and those in the military. But
today, because of technology, everyone is affected. In fact, it’s not
uncommon for audiologists to see 20-year-olds with the hearing of
60-year-olds.”
The reason for hearing loss at an earlier age is simple: Noise is
everywhere. It occurs at home: with the television, kitchen appliances,
the vacuum and air conditioner. In the yard: with leaf blowers and lawn
mowers. And at the office: the copy machine whines and the telephone
rings. And, because hearing loss is completely painless, most people
don’t realize they’re damaging their hearing until it’s too late.
The Minnesota-based Sight & Hearing Association, founded in 1939, is
dedicated to preventing the needless loss of vision and hearing in all
Minnesotans through education, screening and research.
1999 International Noise Awareness Day Free Hearing Screening Sites
On Wednesday, April 21, 14 locations in Minnesota will offer free
hearing screenings:
Crystal
Allied Hearing Services 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
5510 W. Broadway
612-533-5722
Contact: Jackie Hoppenrath
Coon Rapids
Ear, Nose & Throat Specialty Care 5:30-7 p.m.
Mercy Health Care Center, Ste. 201
3960 Coon Rapids Blvd.
612-421-8443
Contact: Jill Beam
Edina
Allied Hearing Services 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
6600 France Ave. S., Ste. 164
612-929-0501
Contact: Charlie Stone
Forest Lake
East Central Audiology 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (by appt.)
1068 South Lake St., Ste. 108
651-464-8486
Contact: Julie Perreault
Minnetonka
Allied Hearing Services 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (by appt.)
17705 W. Hutchins Dr.
612-470-9063
Contact: Jim Pehringer
Roseville
Audiology Associates Hearing Care, Ltd. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (by appt.)
1835 County Road C West, Ste. 80
651-638-9981
Contact: Ann Napp
St. Louis Park
Allied Hearing Services 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
7204 W. 27th St., Ste. 101
612-926-4485
Contact: Jerri McMahon
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St. Paul
Associated Hearing 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Central Medical Building
393 N. Dunlap, Ste. 115
651-646-2427
Contact: Kristi Piatz
Woodbury
Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery 9-11 a.m.
Valley Creek Professional Building
8360 City Center Dr., Ste. 140
651-702-0750
Contact: Blake Strand
Wyoming
Fairview Lakes Regional Medical Center 8:30-11:30 a.m.
5200 Fairview Blvd.
651-982-7651
Contact: Lynne Hawley
Duluth
Hearing Associates 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
224 E. Central Entrance
Duluth, MN 55811
Contact: Bruce Burress/John Voss
Rochester
Audiology and Better Hearing Care By appointment only
526 N. Broadway
507-280-8873
Contact: Doug Freeman
St. Cloud
St. Cloud State University 8 a.m.-Noon
Department of Communication Disorders
Education Building, Room A216
720 S. 4th Ave.
320-255-2092
Contact: Dr. Margery Whites
Thief River Falls
Northwest Medical Center 9 a.m.-3p.m. (by appt.)
120 LaBree Ave. S.
218-681-4240
Contact: Kari Mobley
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Q & A about noise-induced hearing loss
How does noise affect health?
Hearing loss is the most common and obvious result of loud noise
exposure. The louder the noise, the less time it takes for permanent
damage to occur. The early stages of hearing loss are difficult to
detect. Keep in mind, though, that the higher frequencies are the first
to be affected. In conversation, these are soft speech sounds such as F,
P, T and TH.
Aggravated stress reactions. Loud noises make people nervous and
irritable so that both work efficiency and personal relationships can
suffer. Such stress can produce harmful physiological effects, for
example, a rise in cholesterol, blood sugar or stomach acid levels.
High blood pressure and other heart problems can result from prolonged
noise exposure. Those most at risk are people with a family or personal
history of hypertension.
Disturbed sleep. With constant or recurring noise your sleep is apt to
be light and not very restful, so that you wake up tired, tense and
unable to concentrate or work efficiently.
Learning difficulties are a special danger in children whose schools are
in noisy areas. Studies show that children read more slowly than they
should, with less concentration and have poor test scores. If the noise
levels are high and frequent, children may even confuse the sounds of
some letters and have trouble speaking.
What can you do to protect yourself from unwanted noise?
Pay attention to the noises around you. Whenever possible, turn down
the volume.
Ask your neighbors to turn down the volume on noise, and if you’re not
satisfied, ask local officials for help.
Give your ears a break and limit use of noisy toys and loud
appliances.
Listen to personal stereo systems at safe levels. The rule of thumb:
If you cannot hear other people talking when your are wearing headphones
or if other people have to shout to you to be heard at three feet away
while the headphones are on, it is too loud.
Wear adequate hearing protection, such as foam ear plugs, when you are
in a noisy environment or when using loud equipment (e.g. rock concerts,
sports events, lawn mowing).
Alternate a noisy activity with a quiet one to give your ears a rest.
Get your hearing checked regularly by a qualified audiologist.
How loud is too loud?
To know if a sound is loud enough to cause damage to your ears, it is
important to know both the level of intensity (measured in decibels) and
the length of exposure to the sound. The following are signs that a
noise is too loud:
Your ears ring or feel dull. The ringing and muffled sensations are
caused by transitory adjustments the brain makes in response to the
sound — called a temporary threshold shift. The brain quickly adjusts
its reception back to normal levels but your potential for permanent
damage has been increased.
You need to raise your voice to be heard. If you can’t speak in a normal
voice to someone at arm’s length, the background sound is too loud.
You can hear music from another person’s stereo headphones.
The noise is meant to be loud. This is a big problem with concerts,
video games, movie theaters, and other forms of entertainment designed
to provide a sensory thrill.
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