What is one potential health effect of prolonged exposure to high noise levels?

Prolonged exposure to high noise levels can lead to temporary or permanent hearing loss as a key health effect. This occurs because the delicate structures within the ear, particularly the hair cells in the cochlea, can be damaged by excessive sound pressure. When noise levels exceed a certain threshold over time, these cells either become less effective at transmitting sound or may be destroyed entirely, leading to varying degrees of hearing loss.

Temporary threshold shifts can happen after short bursts of loud noise, resulting in a temporary reduction in hearing sensitivity. However, with continuous high noise exposure, this can develop into permanent hearing loss, meaning that individuals may not be able to recover their hearing capacity even after the noise exposure ceases. The irreversible nature of such damage underscores the importance of hearing conservation practices in environments where high noise levels are present.

Other health effects like increased sensitivity to sound, unexplained headaches, and elevated blood pressure can occur due to various reasons, but they are not as directly linked to prolonged noise exposure as the risk of hearing loss.