[Annoyance, disturbance and damage caused by noise and vibrations]

The pathogenic effects derived by the emission of noises and vibrations, essentially, are conditioned from three etiological factors. The first of those is the energetic level of the sound emission, whereas the second is the exposure time and the last is the spectral composition. We, making reference to sound source, can associate to the first etiological factors the influence of impulsive components present in the noise; whereas to the second the importance of the functional recovery time of auditory acuity and, at last, to the third etiological factors the annoyance caused by the superimposition of pure tone or of tight band noise, contained in 1/3 of octave. The specific effects, caused by the noise exposure, affect the auditory system (acoustic trauma, auditory weariness, noise deafness) and the vestibular system (vertigo, sickness, trouble of balance). Those effects are fortly dependent to the entity of the sound energy accepted in a calculated time interval (LEP), and after the end of noise expositions they aren't developed. The specific effects became permanent when the degeneration of the Corti's cells occurred. The noise deafness, in first time, impair the frequencies included between 3000 and 6000 Hz, particularly it concerns the thigh band of 4000 Hz. Those lesions happen after a prolonged exposition to LEP greater than 80-85 dBA, and its evolutions, usually, follow a succession of clinical stages that can be monitored through audiometric controls to allow the necessary preventive measures. The nonspecific effects, derived to the noise exposition can be divided in: 1) neuroendocrinologic and psychological effects; 2) psychosomatic effects; 3) psychosocial effects. The psychological effects (anxiety, depression, conflict condiction) are strictly related with neuroendocrinological responses to the sound impact, this, for the smaller entity of stimulation, is identical to locality reaction, on the contrary for more violent stimulations those determine and adaptative reaction (Selye syndrome) that consist in a excitement of the thalamus and pituitary gland, this determines a multiple endocrine hyperactivity followed from a inhibition period or, possibly, an adaptation period. The noise exposure determines, besides, same E.E.G. alterations and a reduction of walls' tone of the brain's arteries. The psychosomatic effects of the noise appear with emission greater than or equal to 70 dBA and these can be distinguished in: cardiovascular effects, gastrointestinal effects, respiratory effects, visual and genitals effects. The noise in these cases, mainly, acts as a risk's factors. The noise is, again, the cause of the arising of psychosocial effects. These can be classified as: interference on the transmission and understanding of the words, perfect healthy respect the efficiency and the learning capacity of the exposed subject, interference on the duration and quality of the sleep.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)