- Protecting our ears from vuvuzela and other loud sounds

Law enforcers are used to working in noisy conditions ranging from the exchange of gunfire, screaming sirens, police radios or the insults shouted by angry protestors or criminals and more recently, the sound of vuvuzelas. While this trumpet-like instrument may sound like an elephant to some, they sound like a swarm of furious bees when thousands of them are blown simultaneously.

Compiled by Annalise Kempen

When the announcement was made in May 2004 that South Africa was to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, at least 20 000 vuvuzelas were sold on the same day by enterprising street vendors. Some say the word vuvuzela is derived from the isiZulu term for “making noise”, others claim it is township slang for “shower” ... because it “showers people with sound” - music to some, noise to others.

But a vuvuzela has another application as it can, when adapted, actually be used as an instrument in an orchestra. Spanish-born Pedro Espi-Sanchis who moved to South Africa in 1972, together with Thandi Swart-booi, head of the South African traditional music group Woman Unite, launched the Vuvuzela orchestra, consisting of modified standard vuvuzelas capable of playing different notes, in 2006.  These different vuvuzela notes produce chords that can accompany fans in singing soccer songs in arrangements involving the fans playing rhythms on their standard vuvuzelas.

In the days leading up to and during the 2010 FIFA World Cup street vendors were smiling as the demand for flags and vuvuzelas increased.  According to a report on timeslive.co.za dated 12 June 2010, vuvuzela sales increased from 500 a month to 50 000. Many unemployed people have benefited from the sale of vuvuzelas and flags at street corners, generating an income for themselves - and possibly contributing to a reduction in crime. 

Somehow vuvuzelas have “grown” on us, and nearly everyone who has followed the event has entered into a love-hate relationship with them.  And, although they are good for building team spirit, studies have revealed that they are not the most healthy choice to build atmosphere - especially when it comes to our hearing.

How do I know whether something is harming my hearing?
We all have differing sensitivity when it comes to noise, but any noise may damage your hearing if you have to shout to make yourself heard.  When a sound is harmful to your ears, your ears may ring, or you may have difficulty hearing for several hours after exposure. Noise/sound is characterised by intensity, measured in decibels; pitch, measured in hertz or kilohertz; and duration.

A study requested by the South African Association for Audiologists, conducted by a professional acoustics consultant, indicated that:
•    A small vuvuzela caused a sound pressure level of 99.9 dBA, and after a maximum exposure time of 15 minutes damage to the middle ear is caused.
•    A medium vuvuzela caused a sound pressure level of 105.5 dBA, and the
    maximum exposure time is four minutes.
•    A large vuvuzela caused a sound pressure level of 114.9 dBA, and the maximum exposure time was 28 seconds.

According to the Association, exposure to harmful sounds causes irreversible damage to the sensitive structure of the inner ear, irrespective of one’s age. Exposure to high-impact noise such as vuvuzelas in a stadium, can result in sensori-neural hearing loss which in most cases cannot be medically or surgically corrected.  This type of hearing loss is permanent. Exposure to noise over a period of time can cause tinnitus, which means to “ring like a bell” - the perception of sound heard in one or both ears or in the mind, in the absence of an external sound source.

The Association warns that it is essential to “listen” to your ears, and that an activity is dangerously loud when:
•    You have to shout to be heard over the noise;
•    the noise hurts your ears;
•    the noise causes tinnitus in your ear; and/or
•    you are slightly “deaf” for several hours after exposure to loud noise.

According to Daniela-Simone Feit, head of Phonak’s Audiology Division, background noise is a major contributor to the atmosphere in a soccer stadium, and supporters are focusing mainly on footwork and goals. “However, we should be aware that the length of exposure to noise is of particular importance to our hearing. If someone is exposed to a noise level of 100 dBA for more than 15 minutes, they are already at risk of hearing damage.  As a comparison, industrial safety regulations specify that workers should not be exposed to noise above 95 dBA for more than one hour - provided they are wearing ear protection.

Another interesting fact is that as soon as an existing sound source is increased by ten decibels, we perceive it as being twice as loud. So, if we look at our test results and compare the samba drum with the vuvuzela, our perception would be that the vuvuzela is twice as loud as the drum.” She suggests that spectators wear earplugs, which are increasingly being used at rock concerts.

As part of Hear the World, a Phonak initiative to raise awareness about the importance of hearing and the results of hearing loss, the most popular football fan instruments from across the world were tested. It was found that the vuvuzela was the most harmful, followed by the air-horn, which is popular among English fans, the drum and the referee’s whistle.  The results indicated that vuvuzela emitted a noise of 127 dBA - compared to the 100 dBA of a chainsaw. Extended exposure at just 85 dBA puts soccer fans at risk of permanent noise-induced hearing loss.

Protecting our ears
It is important to practise good hearing health by using hearing protection when exposed to dangerously loud sounds. During the first weekend of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, pharmacies saw a drastic increase in the sale of earplugs, as people were trying to protect their ears from the vuvuzelas’ deafening noise.

But that is not the only time ear protection should be worn - if you work in an excessively noisy environment it should be part of your standard outfit. In addition, hearing protection should be worn when using power tools, noisy yard equipment, or firearms, or riding a motorcycle or snowmobile.  Those working in mines or in factories where heavy machinery is used such as in the printing industry, should keep their hearing protectors close by.  Also remember to wear proper hearing protectors when going to the shooting range.  This can either be in the form of earplugs or earmuffs.  The latter fits over the entire outer ear, and form an air seal to seal the entire circumference of the ear, and is usually held in place by an adjustable band. Earplugs are small inserts that fit into the outer ear canal, and must be sealed snugly so the entire circumference of the ear canal is blocked. If they are not fitted properly, worn-out or dirty, they may not seal properly and can irritate the ear canal. Earplugs come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit individual ear canals. Hearing protectors enable the user to communicate in a noisy environment, while simultaneously being protected against hearing damage.

***
We often take our ability to hear for granted, but as we have to survive in an environment where being able to heed a warning, or establish whether a sound is being made by home invaders, protecting our hearing can mean the difference between life and death.

Sources:
http://healthsociety.co.za/article.asp?ID=352
http://www.southafrica.info/2010/vuvuzela.htm - accessed on 11 June 2010.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/business/article500667.ece/ - accessed on 14 June 2010.
http://www.vuvuzelaorchestra.co.za/ - accessed on 13 June 2010.
Ngcaweni, L. 2008. “Viva the vuvuzela orchestra!” 17 September. - accessed on www.mediaclubsouthafrica.com on 13 June 2010.
South African Association of Audiologists: Various press releases. - accessed on http://www.audiologysa.co.za
http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/
Article.aspx?id=1150178