Noise And The Ear Noise Induced Hearing Loss And Hidden Society Burden

After the early success of some articles as author and co-author, Dr Win Tin has come up with his first book on Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and the Hidden Society Burden. He noticed that everyone needs peace of mind, especially after a long working day. We need to rest, physically and mentally to recoup, working again with enthusiasm the next day. Thus, it is important that we have a certain private, quiet, peaceful serene environment, day or night. But noise is all around us. The sound of grass cutters, the piling of structures nearby, children playing and shouting, or the traffic noise. These can make a lot of noise and the peace shattered. Noise-induced hearing loss is mainly caused by a certain amount of noise which has a deleterious effect on the ear when exposed to long periods of time e.g. years, and usually without the person noticing, as in occupational noise-induced hearing loss or single instances of extreme noise, as in acoustic trauma. This causes not only hearing loss but effects socially, financially, physically and mentally. Its problem is so big with compensation in millions, causing a huge hidden burden to the society, people and government. Yet it should be noted that this is the only preventable cause of sensorineural hearing loss, which can be prevented, while other causes are still not possible. The book introduces various noise, the pathogenesis and causes of noise-induced hearing loss, as seen in various strata of people. Apart from this, there is the Malaysian perspective as written by some researchers from Malaysia. Then there are also effects of noise not only on humans but also in birds and fish. Methods to diagnosis and ways to prevent, with up-to-date researches and treatment are also discussed. Thus, it is a comprehensive one for the knowledge of all levels, professionals and non-professionals. This book is important, and everybody should read or keep as a reference, as they will know in-depth, as most are unaware of the hidden problem. Young people, military, hospital workers, nurses, contractors, builders, architect, engineers, urban planners, public health doctors and everyone can benefit from this book. Hence, this book is useful not only for leisure reading but cherished for life. With the 25th anniversary of UMS, this book can be a milestone, for the wellness of UMS staff and people of Sabah.

Manufacturing industry is one of the most important sectors that contribute significantly to the economy of Malaysia. More than half a million workers in Malaysia work in this industry and many of them are exposed to loud noises of more than 85dB that is harmful to health. Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the highest reported occupational disease affecting around 16% of workers globally. In this book, we reported a study conducted in 26 manufacturing industries that employed around 270,000 workers with more than 40% of them were exposed to noises that potentially cause NIHL. This cross-sectional study designed with face-to-face interviews using questionnaires conducted among Occupational Safety and Health practitioners and workers selected from these industries. Direct and indirect cost was imputed component covering cost of medical care and rehabilitation, transportation, loss of productive time and investigations. Costing data in the government hospital was obtained from casemix information system from a tertiary teaching hospital. The study confirmed that NIHL among workers in manufacturing industry imposed a huge economic burden for Malaysia. In order to mitigate this problem, the existing and yet out-dated noise regulation need to be reviewed. Meanwhile employers need to implement hearing conservation program more effectively.

Exposure to loud noise continues to be the largest cause of hearing loss in the adult population. The problem of NIHL impacts a number of disciplines. US standards for permissible noise exposure were originally published in 1968 and remain largely unchanged today. Indeed, permissible noise exposure for US personnel is significantly greater than that allowed in numerous other countries, including for example, Canada, China, Brazil, Mexico, and the European Union. However, there have been a number of discoveries and advances that have increased our understanding of the mechanisms of NIHL. These advances have the potential to impact how NIHL can be prevented and how our noise standards can be made more appropriate.

Noise damage to hearing health is a health risk which is associated with both civilian and military occupations as well as certain leisure activities. Occupational noise damage to hearing must date from the bronze age, when man first began to fashion metals some five thousand years ago. The rapid growth of industrialisation over the past two centuries has produced what might be termed as the current civilian epidemic of occupational noise induced hearing loss. This series seeks to address points relevant to current knowledge of the subject. The volume should prove useful to members of the many disciplines that have an interest in this subject.

Noise is an increasing problem in everyday life, and many noise-induced hearing problems are irreversible. This book focuses on all aspects of noise-related problems, including noise effects on stress levels, functional changes after noise-induced cochlear damage, occupational hearing loss and noise conservation problems.

The brain is the most complex organ in our body. Indeed, it is perhaps the most complex structure we have ever encountered in nature. Both structurally and functionally, there are many peculiarities that differentiate the brain from all other organs. The brain is our connection to the world around us and by governing nervous system and higher function, any disturbance induces severe neurological and psychiatric disorders that can have a devastating effect on quality of life. Our understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of the brain has improved dramatically in the last two decades. In particular, the critical role of cations, including magnesium, has become evident, even if incompletely understood at a mechanistic level. The exact role and regulation of magnesium, in particular, remains elusive, largely because intracellular levels are so difficult to routinely quantify. Nonetheless, the importance of magnesium to normal central nervous system activity is self-evident given the complicated homeostatic mechanisms that maintain the concentration of this cation within strict limits essential for normal physiology and metabolism. There is also considerable accumulating evidence to suggest alterations to some brain functions in both normal and pathological conditions may be linked to alterations in local magnesium concentration. This book, containing chapters written by some of the foremost experts in the field of magnesium research, brings together the latest in experimental and clinical magnesium research as it relates to the central nervous system. It offers a complete and updated view of magnesiums involvement in central nervous system function and in so doing, brings together two main pillars of contemporary neuroscience research, namely providing an explanation for the molecular mechanisms involved in brain function, and emphasizing the connections between the molecular changes and behavior. It is the untiring efforts of those magnesium researchers who have dedicated their lives to unraveling the mysteries of magnesiums role in biological systems that has inspired the collation of this volume of work.