Low Frequency Noise Causes of Hearing Loss
Excessive levels of noise in the workplace which result in industrial deafness are the basis of most compensation claims. Attributing a specific cause to tinnitus- a constant internal ringing or humming sound – can be notoriously difficult or impossible, especially if there was a known or suspected noise source, but which has since ceased.
It has been estimated that around 170,000 people in the UK are affected with some form of noise-related hearing problems with tinnitus and industrial deafness being the most common conditions of hearing damage caused as a result of an excessively noisy workplace.
There sometimes occurs instances of a condition known as “The Hum”, which is defined as a sensitivity to low frequency noises such as hums, drones or buzzing, caused by all types of sources from factories, machinery and transport to household appliances such as boilers and fridges. A noise source can even be claimed to originate from the sea.
A report on low frequency noise produced by Defra (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), suggests that the effects can have serious consequences, giving rise to headaches, depression, stress, sleeplessness, disruption to relationships, and a known case of suicide.
The Royal National Institute for The Deaf (RNID) have said that around one in ten people in Britain are affected at some point in their lives by extreme sensitivity to noise, which can be as distressing a condition as suffering understood levels of noise induced hearing loss. Determining the exact cause of the noise and why it is happening can be a difficult task, although it has been suggested that if the noise is experienced wherever a person is positioned, it’s probably tinnitus, and if it disappears in different areas then the problem is likely to be external.
Learning relaxation techniques to help cope with hearing a constant low frequency noise or tinnitus are often advised.