WORK-RELATED HEADACHES’ CAUSES: NOISE
Noise is like glare – the more there is, the more tension it inspires. Part of this tension occurs reflexively. The eardrum is the receptor for sound inside the ear, vibrating as sound waves impinge upon it. The movements of the eardrum are picked up by a tiny bone called the malleus, which then transmits the vibration to two further bones in the sensory part of the ear. Attached to the malleus is a small slip of muscle called the tensor tympani. When this muscle contracts it pulls on the malleus, preventing both it and the eardrum from vibrating too much. This has the advantage of being able to damp down loud sounds so that the delicate sensory mechanism inside the ear doesn’t get overwhelmed.
The tensor tympani is a muscle like any other muscle, and after a time it too can go into spasm and get tired in the presence of constant loud noises. In addition, reflex contraction of the muscles around the neck, head and face also occur where there is constant loud noise. This muscle tension serves to cause headaches.
Noise is also wearing just because it is noise – it stops us concentrating and makes it difficult to make out what other people are saying. This acts as a further source of stress, and where there is stress there is increased muscle tension. Yet more headaches result. (This is even more the case when the noise is an irritant, such as a baby’s cry, where in addition to the noise there may be feelings of anxiety, stress or guilt at being unable to do anything about it.)
For most types of noise-induced stress the cure is simple: reduce excess noise wherever possible. If you’re working in a noisy environment, then by law your employer will be required to supply you with ear defenders. Wear them! If you don’t you may permanently damage your hearing.
Of late, excess noise has found a place in the office, with the arrival of the computer printer. The daisy-wheel printer, which gives high-quality characters, is like a manic version of a golf-ball electric typewriter; a dot-matrix printer gives off less of a clatter, more of a constant whine. Both these printers can be extremely annoying in the office environment. The cure is simple: buy a printer hood. This is an acoustic shield, which fits over the printer, yet allows you to see what is being printed. Alternatively, buy a bubble-jet or a laser printer, which are virtually silent.
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