Internationally renowned expert to speak as part of Hearing Awareness day
Media release:
6 October 2009
Internationally renowned hearing loss expert Dr. Jean-Pierre Gagné will speak in Christchurch next Wednesday 14 October as part of the city’s first Hearing Awareness Day.
Toxic noise is pollution, and organisers of the city’s first Hearing Awareness Day hope that asking Christchurch to be quiet for one minute on Wednesday the 14th of October will raise awareness about the dangers of hearing loss.
“We want to raise awareness and educate the public about noise induced hearing loss,” Christchurch Hearing Association President Bob Abbott said.
“Having someone like Jean-Pierre in Christchurch at this time is fantastic for us. His knowledge is great and we were very pleased when he made himself available to do this public lecture as part of Hearing Awareness Day.”
Dr. Gagné is a Professor of audiological rehabilitation at the University of Montreal in Canada, and is known internationally for his expertise related to the rehabilitation of adults who have hearing loss associated to the normal aging process.
He was awarded an Erskine Fellowship by the University of Canterbury which means he is an invited Professor lecturing in the Department of Communication Disorders at the University of Canterbury. He arrived at the beginning of August and he will be in Christchurch until mid-October.
His Hearing Awareness day lecture will cover changes in hearing and communication associated with ageing and is for one hour starting at 9am in the Commerce Building at Canterbury University.
“Toxic noise is unwanted sound. It is a pollutant and a hazard to human health and hearing. It has been described as the most pervasive pollutant in America,” Dr Gagne says.
“Noise induced hearing loss is usually gradual and painless, but unfortunately is permanent and once destroyed, the hearing nerve and its sensory nerve cells do not regenerate.”
“In my lecture I plan to describe the communication difficulties that arise due to hearing loss associated with aging, and will cover how to optimize communication when conversing with people who have difficulty hearing.”
“Excessive noise is an enemy of communication, and it really does not take a lot of noise to cause a breakdown in communication” he said. “This is something the baby boomers generation are finding out as their hearing deteriorates years before their parents' did.”
Organisers of Hearing Awareness Day are asking Christchurch to be quiet for one minute at 12.15pm on Wednesday 14 October.
The Christchurch Hearing Association will be set up in Cathedral Square in front of the i-site Information Centre for the countdown to 12.15pm and will be joined by National MP and central city resident Nicky Wager, Labour MP for Christchurch Central Brendon Burns and Deputy Mayor Norm Withers.
The Association will be providing information about Hearing loss and Ipod and MP3 player sound checks and Hearing Technology’s sound proofed Mobile Testing Unit will be operating so people can have their hearing tested for free.
Organisers are calling on Christchurch residents to be quiet at 12.15pm for one minute on Wednesday the 14th, no matter where they are and what they are doing.
“We just don’t realise how our hearing is affected over time by noise and the impact it has. We really hope the 14th of October at 12.15pm will have a positive impact on raising awareness about hearing loss and its causes.”
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Editor's notes
The National Foundation for the Deaf commissioned the survey earlier this year on what noises New Zealanders find most annoying and could be making them ill physically or mentally.
The most annoying noises were:
- ' Boy racers' (car exhausts)
- Barking dogs
- Car alarms
- Snoring
- Neighbours' stereo noise
- Neighbours' DIY noise
- Neighbours' lawnmowers
- Other people's mobile phones
- Planes
- Rubbish trucks
- Babies crying
- Body noises including coughing and humming
Noise Levels
Both the amount of noise and the length of time you are exposed to the noise determine its ability to damage your hearing. Noise levels are measured in decibels (dB). The higher the decibel level, the louder the noise. Sounds louder than 80 decibels are considered potentially hazardous. The
noise chart below gives an idea of average decibel levels for everyday sounds around you.
Painful
150 dB = rock music peak
140 dB = firearms, air raid siren, jet engine
130 dB = jackhammer
120 dB = jet plane take-off, amplified rock music at 4-6 ft., car stereo, band practice
Extremely Loud
110 dB = rock music, model airplane
106 dB = timpani and bass drum rolls
100 dB = snowmobile, chain saw, pneumatic drill
90 dB = lawnmower, shop tools, truck traffic
Very Loud
80 dB = alarm clock, busy street
70 dB = busy traffic, vacuum cleaner
60 dB = conversation, dishwasher
Moderate
50 dB = moderate rainfall
40 dB = quiet room
Faint
30 dB = whisper, quiet library
Warning Signs of Hazardous Noise
- You must raise your voice to be heard
- You can't hear someone two feet away from you
- Speech around you sounds muffled or dull after leaving a noise area
- You have pain or ringing in your ears (tinnitus) after exposure to noise.
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