Too much boom can be a bust
Too much boom can be a bust
Years of repeated exposure to loud noise increases the risk of developing a non-cancerous tumour that could cause hearing loss, new research suggests.
In the current study, people who were repeatedly exposed to loud noise over the span of several years were on average 11/2 times as likely to develop this type of tumour compared with people who weren’t exposed to such noise. The tumour, called acoustic neuroma, grows slowly and symptoms tend to become noticeable around age 50 or older.
The tumour slowly presses the cranial nerve that is responsible for sensing sound and helping with balance. Symptoms include hearing loss and a constant ringing in the ears, or tinnitus.
The definitions of loud noise exposure included exposure to machines, power tools and/or construction noise; exposure to motors; exposure to loud music, and exposure to screaming children, sports events and/or restaurants or bars.
The tumour is fairly rare, accounting for 6 to 10 per cent of tumours that develop inside the skull. Published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, reported by Eurekalert!
Too much boom can be a bust – Cancer – Health In Focus – Health And Fitness.
