Bengaluru: Their life is hard enough managing the unruly traffic on the roads, but the city’s traffic policemen have one more reason to worry as they are reportedly highly vulnerable to noise-induced hearing loss thanks to the constant and prolonged honking by drivers in Bengaluru.
"Any sound above 85 decibels causes damage to the inner hair cells. And sudden or prolonged exposure to loud sound can cause them irreversible damage. Also, humans cannot regenerate these cells, which convert mechanical signals to electrical," says Dr Vasanthi Anand, an ENT specialist with Manasa CI and ENT Centre, explaining that once the inner hair cells get damaged, high-frequency sounds within 3000-4000 kilohertz become inaudible.
"The traffic police are the worst affected. They can also develop tinnitus (buzzing sound in the ear), which in turn can lead to psychological problems , disturbed sleep, irregular blood pressure and sugar levels," warns Dr Santosh S, consultant, ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Columbia Asia Hospital, Hebbal.
“People need to realise that they should only honk when it’s extremely necessary,” he adds.
Dr Srinivas K, consultant ENT, head and neck surgeon, Vikram Hospital, likens the plight of traffic cops to that of workers who are around constantly running machinery in industries. But, unlike them, he notes, they have no protective gear.
“More than four to five hours of exposure to a constant loud sound for five days a week can induce chronic hearing loss in traffic policemen. As it is irreversible, precaution and prevention are the key. Wearing small ear plugs would be ideal as they muffle the sound by at least 30 decibels. The traffic police can wear them during peak traffic hours," he suggests.
"People travelling on two-wheelers too can use earplugs and helmets to help reduce the noise pollution. Also, one should try to avoid heavy traffic zones as much as possible to stay safe from noise pollution. The traffic department could put up ‘No honking’ signboards around the city and it is also important to create awareness among the people about the side effects of excessive honking," adds Dr Santosh.
