Can hockey playoffs harm your hearing?
Source: Canadian Medical Association Journal

Excessive exposure to loud sounds is the leading cause of preventable hearing loss, and most cases of noise-induced hearing loss are due to occupational exposure. The importance of hearing protection in the workplace is now well recognized, and most industries in North America have programs and regulations in place to ensure the hearing health of their workers. Far less attention has been paid to auditory damage caused by noise outside of work. With the popularity of loud devices, such as MP3 players and cellular telephones, and noisy activities, such as rock concerts and sporting events, everyday life is increasingly hazardous to hearing for all members of society. Therefore, there is a growing need to increase awareness of potential sources of damaging sounds and education about the use of hearing protection during leisure pursuits.

This report illustrates the impact that even brief exposure to leisure noise can have on an individual’s hearing, through the example of a Stanley Cup final hockey game. The success that the Edmonton Oilers enjoyed during the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs electrified the city. It was suggested in the media that the arena used by the team was one of the loudest buildings in the National Hockey League, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation demonstrated noise levels at certain times during broadcasts with the use of a sound level meter. Although measuring sound levels at key points is informative, what matters most is the exposure of a given individual over the course of the entire game and the effects of that exposure on the person’s hearing.

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 10th, 2006 at 8:53 pm and is filed under Health and healthcare, Professional sports, Safety, Sports, recreation and leisure. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.