Soldiers to be given selective earplugs

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is providing its top combat soldiers with new earplugs that provide a selective hearing solution.

These specialist earplugs, similar to those used by musicians and industry workers, block out dangerous noises but allow oral communication between soldiers.

The hearing protection will placate noises louder than 80 decibels; reducing the risk of hearing damage from weapons or nearby explosions, while allowing the continued use of mission-critical communications devices.

The new earplugs will be given to soldiers in the elite Duvdevan and Yamas units located in Judea and Samaria.

Major Yuval Yaron, head of the Central Command branch for technology and combat equipment, said the new earplugs will allow soldiers to perform their duties more effectively and reduce the risk of long-term hearing impairment:

“If they (soldiers) shoot without earplugs, their hearing is likely to be damaged. If they use the existing earplugs, they cannot speak to or hear the other members of their team or the commanders.”

“The new earplugs solve the problem and allow them to talk to one another with no problem,” he said.

Specialist ear plugs are widely used by the British Army and specialist Police units who use guns or diffuse explosives on a day-to-day basis.

As a result of a growing number of conflicts globally, soldiers are beginning to experience a number of hearing problems related to combat. In 2011, 18 per cent of Afghanistan and Iraqi veterans received disability benefits for tinnitus or hearing problems.

Army soldiers spend will hours in or around tanks, transport carriers and heavy artillery equipment. The navy is also prone to loud noise, particularly when we account for the incessant drone of engines and loud metal-on-metal noise.

Sustained exposure to loud noises will create long term hearing problems – it is important that you take precautions.

American students experiment with earplugs in school

Students at an American school participated in an experiment to illustrate the dangers of loud noise exposure last week.

Pupils at Winfree Academy Charter Schools in Irving, Texas, recreated how it feels to experience hearing loss by wearing earplugs for an entire day.

The ClearSounds Teen Hearing Challenge follows record levels of hearing loss among teens in the United States. According to The Journal of American Medical Association, one-in-five adolescents now suffer from hearing impairment, a 31 per cent increase from late 1980s levels.

One-third of these cases, according to the National Institutes of Health, can be partly attributed to environmental changes, with the rising use of MP3 players highlighted as a key factor.

The hearing challenge has therefore been set up to demonstrate the dangers of loud noise and to encourage restraint amongst youngsters. Sponsored by ClearSounds Communications, a Chicago-based hearing impairment solutions provider, the scheme will be hosted in schools across America, the first being Winfree Academy in Texas.

20 students at each school wore foam earplugs for an entire day; from the moment they awoke in the morning, throughout their school lessons and breaks, until they went to bed.

This was combined with a school assembly where the children were encouraged to share their experiences; Michele Ahlman, president of ClearSounds Communications, also presented an informative presentation on the dangers of loud noise, outlining preventative strategies.

May Festival Guide

Spring is finally here so it’s time to start planning your summer festival season. If you weren’t lucky enough to grab Glastonbury tickets, don’t worry, there some smaller festivals taking place in May which will help you get over the disappointment quickly:

Cheltenham Jazz festival runs from 1^st-6^th May and showcases some of the best international artists including soul-pop group The Noisettes, Saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and a “Friday Night is Music Night” celebration of singer Georgie Fame. Tickets from £18.

Ribble Valley Jazz Festival also provides a host of live jazz acts in Lancashire from 3^rd-6^th May. Tickets from £5.

If you are hoping for something more varied, Dumbfest Music and Comedy festival in Hampshire hosts a range of music and comedy acts on 4^th May. Artists include James Walsh (Starsailor), Stringer Bessant (Reef), Mc Devvo and comedians Patrick Monahan and Bob Slayer. Tickets from £10.

In Aberdeen on 5^th May, The Big Beach Ball festival will feature Jackmaster, Octave One, Kevin Saunderson & Inner City, We Were Promised Jetpacks and Mungo’s Hi Fi. This sunny coastal festival is snuggled beside the Promenade’s sandy beaches. Tickets from £30.

Crookfest Rock Jam takes place in Darlington on 5^th May and includes a selection of tribute bands such as Queen Tribute “MAGIC”, Kind of ELO, Ska Mania, Bon Jovi Forever, Black Rose, Freeway and Sleeze Sisters. Tickets from £12.

If you missed out on Glastonbury, Glastonbudget provides a cheaper, more accessible alternative from 24^th-26^th May, featuring a range of tribute bands including “Antarctic Monkeys” and “Oasish”. Tickets from £29.

Field Day in Victoria Park, London offers some of the best dance music and urban acts including Animal Collective, Bat For Lashes, Amateur Best and Bobby Tank. This one-day festival takes place on 25th May and costs around £80.

Noisily dance music festival takes place in Leicestershire from 24^th–27^th May and includes DJs and artists including Perfect Stranger, Plump DJs, Avalon and Mak & Pasteman. Tickets from £70.

Edinburgh Guitar & Music Festival includes an international line up of guitarists covering everything from rock, classical and jazz, as well as guitar exhibitions and talks. Tickets range from £5 for single event passes to £125 for weekend passes.

If that wasn’t enough to whet your appetite, below is a more comprehensive list of May festivals:

Swingamajig	Birmingham	5 May	Electro/swing
East Anglia Guitar Festival	Great Bardfield	5 May	Guitar
Southport Jazz festival	Southport	10 May	Jazz
Bearded Theory	Derbyshire	17-19 May	Rock/urban
Stourbridge Blues Festival	Midlands	18 May	Blues
Exmouth Festival	Exmouth	23 May	Mixed
Symmetry Festival 2013	Peterborough	24-26 May	Mixed
Lechlade Festival	Gloucestershire	24-26 May	Rock
Sunrise Festival	Bath	30 May - 2 June	Dance/urban
Wychwood Fesival	Cheltenham	31 May- 2 June	Mixed

Have fun, but remember to take care!

With so many festivals to choose from in May, you will be sure to find something to suit your musical tastes. Just remember that continued exposure to loud music can cause hearing problems and it’s therefore important that you take some precautions:

- make sure that you stand far enough away from speaker systems

- take regular breaks – go for a walk around the grounds, get a drink, don’t stay close to the stage all day long

- take a good set of ear plugs with you - ProGuard Noizezz Universal Earplugs are almost impossible to see when fitted correctly; their unique filters preserve speech intelligibility and music quality meaning you can still hear your friends and the bands.

Red wine could help slow hearing decline, say scientists

Drinking red wine could provide protection against cognitive impairment and hearing decline, according to a study in the U.S.

An experiment by the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit found that resveratrol, a key ingredient of red grapes, helped to reduce the auditory impact of loud noises in rats.

The study showed that healthy rats were less likely to suffer the long-term effects of noise-induced hearing loss when given resveratrol prior to prolonged noise exposure.

Resveratrol, the “healthy” ingredient of red wine, is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and has also been found to reduce the risk of breast cancer. However, this is the first time it has been linked with improvements in hearing:

"Our latest study focuses on resveratrol and its effect on bio inflammation, the body's response to injury and something that is believed to be the cause of many health problems including Alzheimer's disease, cancer, aging and hearing loss," said Michael D. Seidman, director of the Division of Otologic/Neurotologic Surgery at Henry Ford Hospital.

"Resveratrol is a very powerful chemical that seems to protect against the body's inflammatory process as it relates to aging, cognition and hearing loss."

The study revealed that when rats were exposed to excess noise, this caused an increase in “COX-2” proteins in their auditory system. Resveratrol was shown to significantly reduce the expression of these proteins and reduce hearing loss.

"We've shown that by giving animals resveratrol, we can reduce the amount of hearing and cognitive decline," added Dr. Seidman.

For the majority of people, hearing tends to get worse with age. People can generally slow the decline of their hearing by reducing the exposure to loud noises and by wearing ear plugs when required. However, developments in technology and changes in social norms now mean that hearing loss is beginning at younger age groups. 

The news that a glass of red wine might help to slow down hearing deterioration is likely to be welcomed by the over 30s. Readers should be aware that consuming large quantities of red wine will not mitigate high levels of loud noise; enjoying the odd glass of red at a music festival, in combination with wearing a good set of ear plugs, however, will certainly do no harm.

Exeter students campaign to fight tinnitus

An Exeter University music society has promoted the use of ear plugs by giving out free samples to clubbers in the local area.

The Exeter University's Beats and Bass Society hopes to demonstrate the dangers of loud music and educate local clubbers on the risks of developing tinnitus and other hearing problems.

The society's campaign, entitled Sounds for Life, encourages clubbers to think about the impact of attending late night club nights without adequate protection, warning peers that "No-one wants to listen to the same song for the rest of their life".

Will Newton, the society's treasurer, hopes to make young people realise that listening to loud music can have long term side effects:

"We're a music society - we love music and we certainly don't want to put people off going to clubs, venues and festivals.

"But loud music can and will damage your hearing unless you take steps to avoid it,” he said.

The average night club noise exposure can range from 100db, a safe level of noise for up to two hours, to 115db, considered safe only for up to fifteen minutes. Noise gets twice as loud at 10dB intervals, so it is clearly difficult for clubbers to gauge when noise is considered particularly dangerous.

Mr Newton spoke of how he once experienced temporary hearing loss after attending two music festivals. He was unaware of the dangers surrounding loud music and now wants to educate clubbers so that they are better prepared:

"Ear plugs are a fairly obvious way, but there are also other little things you can do like taking breaks and thinking about where you stand at venues," he said.

The society’s campaign has been supported by the British Tinnitus Association (BTA) and is expected to have positive results in the area:

“Peer-to-peer education like this is a very effective way of getting messages across and we are happy to support the students at Exeter in any way we can,” said David Stockdale, chief executive of the BTA.

The Beats and Bass Society hopes to persuade some of the city's nightclub owners to keep a supply of earplugs to hand out to clubbers in need.

If you attend club nights regularly you could be at risk of developing long term hearing problems. At allearplugs we have a range of solutions for clubbing and festival goers; these will allow you to enjoy your night without the risk of developing long-term hearing damage.

Do you feel you need to wear ear plugs to go clubbing? Let us know what you think: