Calls for research into health effects of ultrasound exposure

This report does not provide any new evidence about possible harms from ultrasound, either. It only shows some public places have volumes of ultrasound comparable to volumes covered in industrial guidelines. We do know high-frequency ultrasound may damage people's hearing. The industrial guidelines were intended to avoid hearing damage at the lower frequencies we use for hearing speech. These were based on the average hearing of a small group of men in their 40s. The effects on other groups – such as women, children or older people – may be different. The study says: "Lack of research means that it is not possible to prove or disprove public health risk or discomfort." All we know is some people exposed to ultrasound in industrial settings reported symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, headaches, tiredness and sensations of ear pressure. We don't know whether the problems were caused by ultrasound or something else altogether. Most people exposed to ultrasound in public places are likely to be unaware of it. Professor Leighton's report goes on to say: "There are no records of large numbers of complaints from the public, and this might be because only a small number are affected, or it might be because there has been no awareness of exposure and no route by which to complain." We also don't know if there's a plausible way ultrasound could cause symptoms such as nausea, tiredness, dizziness and headaches. Professor Leighton speculated symptoms could b...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Lifestyle/exercise QA articles Source Type: news