After studying noise in one French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans to determine whether noise levels exceeded municipal ordinances, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) researchers recommend that people use smart phone apps to protect their hearing health.
“An important part of an audiologist’s practice is aiding patients in their attempts to protect their hearing 
Hurley and Eric Arriaga, a third-year LSUHSC doctor of audiology student, along with a colleague, assessed noise levels through measurement with sensitive sound meters and the analysis of sample digital recordings they made to settle a dispute between residents and nearby businesses over music. Sound levels ranged from 58 to 93 dBA at various times.
The team found that, while noise levels were high, the businesses were not in violation of the law. However, the businesses did offer to build a hyperbolic wall to help turn the volume down for their residential neighbors.
While professionals were called in this case, Hurley and Arriaga say the technology available on today’s smart phones can put effective measurement of environmental sounds into the public’s hands.
“This allows individuals to conveniently and inexpensively obtain estimates of many different types of noise at different locations to not only determine noise compliance issues, but, more importantly, empower individuals to be involved in their hearing health,” say the researchers.
Their case study is published online in Advance for Hearing Practice Management.
According to published studies and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, approximately 5.2 million children, aged 6-19 years, and 26 million adults, aged 20-69 years, have permanent hearing loss as a result of noise exposure.
