Roller Coasters & Hearing Loss: One More Way to Spoil the Fun

Dear Tucson Audiologists’ Readers,

There are so many news items that pop up throughout the year, we collect them but don’t always post them on our  blog, for fear of overloading our readers with too many posts.  Here’s one we didn’t get out, from back in May 2010.  It’s interesting and entertaining, especially for all our active patients who are forever riding roller coasters.  Happy Holidays and happy reading!

In The Week, May 15 2010:

“Rollercoasters can cause temporary deafness, warns The Daily Telegraph. When a fairground ride lurches downwards, the sudden difference in air pressure outside and inside the middle ear can create a condition known as barotraumas, whose symptoms include short-term hearing loss, dizziness, pain, or the feeling that ear has “popped”. Thrill-seekers are advised not to turn their heads to one side during a ride, as this can focus extra pressure on one ear. “Based on our research, we recommend that passengers remain facing forward for the duration of the ride to not let the full impact of acceleration hit the ear,” said Dr Kathleen Yaremchuk from the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, who has been researching the syndrome. Flying and deep-sea diving have also been known to induce barotraumas.” (reference:  The Week, May 15 2010)

And, for those of you engineering types, you can get an in depth look at roller coaster G force and technology and pursue this further in Popular Mechanics:  http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/med-tech/roller-coaster-hearing-loss?src=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+pm%2Flatest+%28PopularMechanics.com+-+Latest+Content%29

Submitted for your reading pleasure — have a great holiday season!

Your Tucson Audiologists,

  Holly Hosford-Dunn PhD

                      and

  Sharon K Hopkins MA