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Las Fallas are days in which the ear is exposed to a high level of sound intensity | Experts advise taking precautions against 'mascletades', firecrackers and castles
Gunpowder is one of the essential elements of the fallas ; festivals that attract thousands of tourists every year. In this 2023, the influx of people is expected to be even greater because March 19 falls on a Sunday and, in addition, the Community of Madrid has declared Monday, March 20, as a holiday . So the forecasts suggest that the arrival of tourists will be much higher than in recent years.
The appointment with gunpowder takes place daily in the Town Hall square , with the firing of the mascletà; an event in which about 120 kilos of pyrotechnic material are exploded. A massive celebration that, however, can be harmful to hearing health . Even more so if it occurs repeatedly as in Fallas-parties with a high level of sound intensity.
In order to enjoy the shooting without risk to hearing, Levante-EMV has contacted the head of the Otorhinolaryngology Unit service at the IMED Valencia hospital , Dr. Rafael Ramírez , who gives a series of tips to be able to attend the mascletà – and other shots – taking care of the ear .
Before directly addressing the negative effects of the mascletà itself, it must be taken into account that noise is a physical phenomenon that can cause disturbances in the ears but also in other organs.
According to Dr. Ramírez, the most common hearing ailments or pathologies are:
- Alterations in the eardrum . One of the most recurrent is the rupture of this membrane.
- Changes in the inner ear .
- Hearing loss .
- Tinnitus , perception of noise in the ears or head without an external source of sound.
- Tables of imbalance and vertigo .
Loudness is measured in decibels , so audiology experts set various loudness parameters. "Sounds below 85 decibels can be considered safe , but from that intensity, damage can occur," explains Dr. Ramírez.
One of the keys is persistence. For example, a continuous exposure -for more than eight hours- to a noise of 85 dB can cause injuries. This recommended period of time is reduced if the number of decibels is increased. As explained by the head of the Otorhinolaryngology Unit of the IMED hospital, " as the intensity increases, every 5 dB, the exposure time that we tolerate is reduced by half ". Thus, if the intensity exceeds 90 dB, the maximum exposure time without risk is four hours; at 95 dB, two hours; at 100 dB, one hour…
But, how many decibels are reached during the mascletà? “The normal thing is that the intensity grows up to 170 or 180 decibels, approximately -, exposes Dr. Ramírez-. This intensity produces immediate damage to the ear.”
One way to reduce the risk is to “ increase the distance to the source of the sound ”, explains the doctor. From what distance is it safe? In principle, the expert recommends between 15 and 20 meters “for the time that a mascletà lasts”, that is, between five and seven minutes. However, in the case of boys and girls, the distance should be greater , between 50 and 60 meters, because they have "a narrower ear canal" so "the risk intensity is reduced by about 20 dB".
The physical space is not only the only method of auditory prevention against the mascletà; They exist, such as protective PPE, cotton plugs or the repeated advice -things from word of mouth- to open your mouth.
PPE, such as earplugs or protective helmets , “can dampen the intensity until it is reduced to 70 decibels; It is what occurs, more or less, in a human conversation.”
On the other hand, cotton plugs or covering your ears with your hands (do not insert your fingers into the ear holes) can reduce the intensity between 15 and 20 decibels. If they are silicone plugs or helmets, the reduction can reach 40 decibels.
Is opening your mouth really effective? “There are no studies that say that it is useful, but from the point of view of the functioning of the ear, it could be useful”, admits Dr. Ramírez. For the expert, it can be much more effective to swallow or chew because "it allows the pressure inside the ear to be the same as on the outside, thus reducing the possibility of injury."
Faced with the big week of Fallas, Dr. Rafael Ramírez concludes that the limit between freedom and security must be based on knowledge about risk. And he acknowledges: "it may be less exciting to keep a safe distance and use protection" , although it will allow, in the long term, "to be felt for longer and, above all, it will have an impact on better communication in the future" .
Before saying goodbye to Levante-EMV, he confesses the motto of his favorite shirt: “La polvora només per a la festa” . Happy Failas
Vertaald via Google translate van Spaans naar Engels
