The Truth Behind Hearing Protective Devices

Two common forms of protection against noise are [[earplugs]] and [[earmuffs]]. These are available in a wide range of applications, effectiveness and quality.
Unfortunately, these two methods of HPD (Hearing Protective Devices) provide less than 20% of the human body needs. In fact, using these HPD can cause, in course of time, a permanent damage, and the best evidence is that although hundreds of HPD are available in the market, reports clearly show that noise damages the hearing of millions around the world:
Noise is the most common occupational disease and the second most self-reported occupational injury! (According to the National Campaign for Hearing Health). Noise is the major cause for Tinnitus, Vertigo, Jet Leg and other psychosomatic diseases (even a specific type of cancer was found as caused by noise). Noise disables communication and none of us can conduct a phone conversation in a noisy environment. Governments pay billions for lost of production and social security lost income.
Noise is considered to be one of the worst environmental pollution worldwide. Its impact on the comfort and health in modern life is significant (White paper European transport policy for 2010).
http://cordis.europa.eu/eoi/dsp_details.cfm?ID=34072
The problems of the current existing HPDs are well known to modern science and include:
1. All of the HPDs seal the ear, or do not allow the minimal ventilation required to the ear. Since human ears must remain open and ventilated, any attempt to seal the ear canal causes bio chemical, physiological reactions that affect the human body. Needles to mention that in this situation user can not communicate normally.
2. Due to the first fact, current HPD are not comfortable for long use at all. It is known that HPD are difficult to adopt by users which often complain that HPD itches and warms the ear.
3. None of the existing HPDs protects from the ELF, (Extremely Low frequencies), or infrasound. These frequencies are known as the most dangerous frequencies and yet, no solution is offered by any of the HPDs available.
4. No prevention of medical conditions caused by noise and transferred to body through the ears. Tinnitus and even psychosomatic diseases can not be prevented using any of the HPD.
5. No protection from air pressure changes & shock waves. Human body was not "planned" for fast pressure changes and shock waves. Vertigo and Jet Leg can be easily resulted fast airplane take off, climbing in fast elevators etc.
6. Bone conduction noise transmission is not blocked by HPD. This is a sad fact for current HPD users. It means that when user is exposed to high noise, even when wearing earplugs, some noise penetrates his body and hearing system via the bone conduction.
7. NRR (or SNR) limitations. This measurement indicates that a limited protection is provided according to the NRR number. This number refers to a limited range of frequencies in which the HPD attenuates.
In case user is exposed to a constant noise of 120dB, even NRR=30 would leave him unprotected and exposed to hearing damages. Last reports clearly show there's a huge gap between lab NRR measurements and real field NRR.
No wonder, therefore, that European authorities whish to convert to a better standard, but none is unfortunately available.

It seems that what current HPDs offer is based on a "No Theory".
Even the electronic earmuffs do not provide the needed protection (from most of the reasons mentioned above)

The above mentioned leads to the conclusion that science today has no theory that provides a full protection to the auditory system against noise and dangerous frequencies.

Something in the understanding of the noise phenomena is rather vague.

In oppose to the eyes that have today full protection by all kind of devices, or the respiratory system or the head itself, ear and hearing protection field is still far from providing an adequate solution.

Industrial PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) companies invest millions in R&D hoping to find a cure to this hazard; the Academic world provides many articles emphasizing the urgent needs for such a solution while demonstrating the magnitude of the phenomena.

Fortunately, a real hope is found:
Israeli scientist called Professor Adam Aloofi has revealed in his 18 years of research the truth about noise and noise protection. It seems that Aloofi has cracked the genome of the noise. According to members of the Noise Lab in Salford University, UK (located next to Manchester), where Aloofi conducted an experiment, a huge breakthrough has been achieved thanks to a new bio acoustical theory and dimension Aloofi revealed. In this experiment people were exposed to a lethal noise level that clearly cause irreversible damages, but thanks to Aloofi's devices they were fully protected and communicated easily while noise itself was blocked to no more than 78dB.

The device specifications and theory will be exposed to the public during 2009 as part of the Bio acoustic revolution.