Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2010, 7, 3730-3738; doi:10.3390/ijerph7103730 OPEN ACCESS International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ISSN 1660-4601 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph Review Noise and Quality of Life Michael D. Seidman * and Robert T. Standring Henry Ford Health System, Director Division Otologic/Neurotologic Surgery, Medical Director Center for Integrative Medicine and for Wellness, 2799 W Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48202, USA; E-Mail: rstandr1@hfhs.org (R.T.S.) * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: mseidma1@hfhs.org; Tel.: +1-248-661-7211; Fax: +1-313-916-7263. Received: 14 September 2010; in revised form: 12 October 2010 / Accepted: 15 October 2010 / Published: 19 October 2010 Abstract: Noise is defined as an unwanted sound or a combination of sounds that has adverse effects on health. These effects can manifest in the form of physiologic damage or psychological harm through a variety of mechanisms. Chronic noise exposure can cause permanent threshold shifts and loss of hearing in specific frequency ranges. Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is thought to be one of the major causes of preventable hearing loss. Approximately 10 million adults and 5.2 million children in the US are already suffering from irreversible noise induced hearing impairment and thirty million more are exposed to dangerous levels of noise each day. The mechanisms of NIHL have yet to be fully identified, but many studies have enhanced our understanding of this process. The role of oxidative stress in NIHL has been extensively studied. There is compelling data to suggest that this damage may be mitigated through the implementation of several strategies including anti-oxidant, anti-ICAM 1 Ab, and anti JNK intervention. The psychological effects of noise are usually not well characterized and often ignored. However, their effect can be equally devastating and may include hypertension, tachycardia, increased cortisol release and increased physiologic stress. Collectively, these effects can have severe adverse consequences on daily living and globally on economic production. This article will review the physiologic and psychologic consequences of noise and its effect on quality of life. Keywords: noise; oxidative stress; quality of life; noise and non-auditory health