From the BBC:
People who are exposed to the second-hand smoke from others' cigarettes are at increased risk of hearing loss, experts believe. Doctors already know that people who smoke can damage their hearing.
The latest study in the journal Tobacco Control, involving more than 3,000 US adults, suggests the same is true of passive smoking. Experts believe tobacco smoke may disrupt blood flow in the small vessels of the ear. This could starve the organ of oxygen and lead to a build up of toxic waste, causing damage.
But the 'nasty cherry on top of the nasty cake' (TM Frank Davis) is right at the end:
"Hearing loss can often be very frustrating and lead to social isolation, if not quickly addressed."
Uh, the smoking ban and associated pub closures or being forced to stand outside in the cold is 'frustrating' and leads to 'social isolation', fact.
So What Will Be Done About The Officer?
1 hour ago
8 comments:
Being deaf brings people closer together, in fact.
Well how else are they supposed to hear each other ?
"Experts believe...."
Of course they do, that's what they're paid to do.
Bit feeble, this article. Not only does it admit the study was published in an anti-smoking journal, they don't even bother to pretend there was any independence of the expert opinion. It's almost on a par with saying that the Pope believes he's Catholic.
just read the actual paper, not the beeb version.
dont see any probs with study design, conflicts of interest or conclusions, but the actual increase in relative risk was ridiculously small.
they adjust for exposure to firearms and occupational noise, but i wonder about voluntary association with loud noise like gigs etc?
EK, LOL.
B, exactly.
Roym, thanks, but tell us all, what is the risk of going deaf in the complete absence of 'second hand smoke (are there such people?); and what is the risk with exposure to second hand smoke?
Being employed as an anti-smoking researcher could lead to extreme bouts of insanity and outbursts of a laughable nature, experts say.
People who are exposed to the second-hand smoke from others' cigarettes are at increased risk of hearing loss, experts believe.
Eh? Could you speak up, Mark? I'm also blind - what could have brought that on, I wonder?
This sounds like a correlation without causation. People who socialise are likely to damage their hearing because people congregate in loud places like pubs, bars, clubs, concert venues, cinemas, etc..
I wonder if they've adjusted for exposure to potatoes, tomatoes and other nicotine-bearing foodstuffs?
And why doesn't "real" smoking give rise to deafness - the nicotine / cotinine levels for a smoker are at least an order of magnitude greater?
Post a Comment