Noise Exposure: A Continuous Dilemma of the Industrial Environments and Modern World

Noise exposure has long been known to be a risk factor for hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the most common occupational diseases worldwide; 49% of male miners by the age of 50 and 70% of them by the age of 60 have hearing loss.1 Currently, NIHL is not considered only an occupational disease; the non-occupational forms of the disease are on the rise. Leisure-time noise and exposure to the noise exceeding a certain level can lead to the NIHL. Overstimulation of the outer hair cells (OHCs) increases the risk of NIHL. There are two types of NIHL: “acoustic trauma” that refers to the sudden exposure to a high-intensity sound, e.g., gunfire or explosions, which may lead to permanent cochlear damage; and NIHL secondary to the chronic exposure to loud noises like that mostly happen in industrial and occupational settings.