Vuvuzelas pack a punch

Even if you are not a football fan you are probably aware of the “vuvuzela”. These horns blasted their way onto the world stage at the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa. At every game the rasping rant of these cheap plastic horns blown with zeal by the fans raised a wall of discordant sound. As annoying as the vuvuzelas were for those watching around the world on television, new research tells us that they were even worse news for people at the ground.

The new study sought to establish the potential impact on vuvuzela’s on hearing.

Their measurements showed that a single horn blown in the stands subjects players on the field to between 90 and 105 decibels. This is enough to interfere to with communication between players and to impair them hearing the referees. When several horns are blown at the same time the noise level in the crowd can reach 120 decibels.

To put that in perspective, 100 decibels is the level of noise you would be exposed to at a rock concert. An ambulance siren or pneumatic jack hammer produce the same level of noise as the vuvuzelas at around 120 decibels. In fact this 120 decibel level is the threshold of feeling and produces a tickling sensation in your ears. The threshold of pain is 140 decibels. Sustained exposure to 120 decibels is 1000 times the energy that causes hearing loss with long-term exposure.

All in all then, vuvuzela exposure is a serious business for your hearing, particularly if it happens regularly. So what would you choose: being locked in a stadium with vuvuzela playing maniacs or a U2 concert? Let’s face it, a U2 concert is less hash on your ears and perhaps just a tad more entertaining.