Posted on March 29th, 2011 by Craig Maltby, Editor
Keep those rock concerts in check. Loud noise and immune health
It’s starting to turn into spring here. That means the summer outdoor concert season will be here soon. As a classic 
rock fan, I love seeing some the 70s and 80s super groups when they tour during the summer. Already we have The Doobie Brothers, Heart, Def Leppard, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Head East and April Wine scheduled. And more to come, I’m sure.
That got me to thinking about loud music, or even loud noise in general. I saw a club band over the weekend, not the loudest band I’ve heard, but my ears were still ringing Monday morning. Does loud music or noise impact immune function? Some research suggests it does:
One study found that a pregnant woman exposed to loud noise may alter the immune foundation of her baby after it is born.
Another study examines the immune activity within the cochlear region of the ear after exposure to “acoustic trauma” (can you say “Kenny G? played very loud”). Apparently, such trauma, if occurring while an antigen is present in the ear, may trigger high immune activity, which may contribute to inflammation in the inner ear.
One might also categorize prolonged loud noise exposure as a stressor, which, of course, can greatly alter immune response throughout the body. This book passage explains.
If I worked anywhere near a high-decibel source–like an airport tarmac or inside a loud manufacturing facility–I’d make sure to wear hearing protection gear without fail. Just a good overall health practice.
