Traffic noise and tinnitus risk are related, according to research
If you live close to a busy road, it could make you anxious and keep you up at night. Tinnitus is more prone to develop when we are under stress and have poor sleep.
The Maersk Mc-Kinney Miller Institute and the Department of Clinical Research at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) found that the more traffic noise Danish residents are exposed to inside, the greater their risk of developing tinnitus.
Most people who experience tinnitus describe it as distressing whistling noises in their ears.
It is the first time that scientists have discovered a connection between exposure to residential traffic noise and outcomes linked to hearing.
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According to our data, which includes more than 40,000 cases of tinnitus, the risk of developing the condition rises by 6% for every ten decibels more noise in people’s homes, says Manuella Lech Cantuaria, PhD, an assistant professor at the Maersk McKinney-Moller Institute who is also affiliated with the Department of Clinical Research at SDU.
She is concerned about the numerous health issues that traffic noise appears to cause, as is her colleague Jesper Hvass Schmidt, Associate Professor at the Department of Clinical Research and Chief Physician at Odense University Hospital (OUH).
The significance of road noise for health requires more attention. According to Jesper Hvass Schmidt, it is concerning that noise appears to raise the risk of tinnitus, cardiovascular problems, and dementia among other illnesses.
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Patients can receive the tinnitus diagnosis at hearing clinics like the one Jesper Hvass Schmidt works at at OUH. However, only the most severe instances are recommended by their own physician or an otorhinolaryngologist. He thinks that the large number of tinnitus instances that have been documented is likely just the beginning.
Ten percent of people in the population generally occasionally have tinnitus. It is linked to stress and restlessness, which road noise can make worse.
More research is required to determine the exact mechanism by which traffic noise produces tinnitus.
However, we are aware that road noise might stress us out and interfere with our sleep. And according to Jesper Hvass Schmidt, tinnitus might worsen when we experience stress and have poor sleep.
Researchers assert that nighttime noise may be even more harmful to health than daytime noise.
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It has an impact on our sleep, which is crucial for regaining our physical and mental health. According to Manuella Lech Cantuaria, it is important to think about whether there is anything you can do to help your sleep if you live close to a busy road.
It is untrue that switching from gas to electric vehicles may greatly lower the amount of traffic noise that residents must endure at their homes. The sound is mostly caused by the friction of the tires with the ground.
In Germany, some nighttime speed restrictions have been reduced to lessen the impact on nearby inhabitants’ ability to sleep.
Placing noise barriers alongside the road or altering the road’s surface to lessen tyre noise are two other ways to reduce traffic noise.
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the subjective perception of sound that does not originate from an external source. It might be characterised as a ringing, buzzing, humming, or other type of sound in the head or the ears.
Tinnitus can be idiopathic, which means the origin is unknown, or it can be a symptom of an underlying illness or injury. Tinnitus and hearing loss coexist rather frequently.
Tinnitus can reduce quality of life since it can lead to sadness, difficulties concentrating, and sleep issues. There are many options for treating tinnitus symptoms, including counselling and hearing aids.