Volume 125 Issue 99
kansan.com
Monday, April 8, 2013
$150
TRAVIS YOUNG/PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
SOUND OF SILENCE
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
Exposure to noise, rather than aging, leading cause of hearing loss
Michelle Mason, a graduate student from Price, Utah, takes extra precautions to prevent hearing loss later in life. She opts for headphones instead of ear buds, and keeps her music volume low. She said she has also begun wearing ear plugs while clubbing.
MARSHALL SCHMIDT
mschmidt@kansan.com
The noise level inside Allen Fieldhouse often exceeds that of a chain saw, according to an article titled "What Causes Hearing Loss" recently published in The New York Times. Exposure to noise, rather than aging, is the leading cause of hearing loss, according to the article.
Michelle Mason, a graduate student from Price, Utah working on her master's degree in speech-language pathology, takes extra precautions to prevent hearing loss later in life.
"I make sure my music volume is lower," Mason said. "I've even started taking ear plugs when I go clubbing."
When listening to music, Mason uses her pink headphones, which pose less risk for hearing
damage compared to ear buds, she said.
To avoid hearing loss, the volume of an iFod should be at 60 percent of the maximum level, according to Kostas Kokkinakis, assistant professor of speech-language-hearing.
While Kokkinakis knows of no study confirming the noise level at Allen Fieldhouse will cause hearing loss, he said students should try to minimize their overexposure to noise.
"If you listen to your music too loud now, nothing happens temporarily," Kokkinakis said. "But cumulatively over the course of your lifetime, you might be at a higher risk of affecting your hearing health."
tional Health and Nutrition Examination Survey published by the American Medical Association. Hearing impairment today affects nearly 30 million people, according to the Department of Labor.
Hearing loss among adolescents has already increased, according to The Third Na-
Musicians may also be at risk for exposure to high sound pressure levels, according to research conducted by Sheri Cook-Cunningham, a graduate student from Leawood.
While her research shows music venues can expose performers to up to two and a half times the recommended maximum noise dosage, Cook-Cunningham cautions there is no conclusive evidence musicians have sustained greater hearing loss.
Gradual hearing loss can occur with repeated exposure to loud sounds, said Angie Reeder, audiologist at the University.
"We want people to be aware of potential exposure to high sound pressure levels," Cook-
"Once this damage to the cochlea's sensory cells has occurred, there is no cure or regeneration of sensory cells," Reeder said. "So, the hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ears) may become permanent."
Cunningham said. "But we don't want them to think they are necessarily going deaf."
Reeder recommends that people have their hearing checked regularly and consult resources, including the Center for Disease Control's website, to help determine their noise exposure.
"We have discounted the damage that may be occurring
SEE HEARING PAGE 8A
ENVIRONMENT
EMILY WITTLER/KANSAN
Kayla Everhart, a freshman from Ill., blows her nose as she sits outside on a spring day near newly blooming flowers. Some scientists predict that this could be one of the worst allergy seasons in recent years.
Late snowfall creates worse allergy season
JENNA JAKOWATZ
jjakowatz@kansan.com
This spring will be especially unpleasant for seasonal allergy sufferers.
The late snowfall means that the trees, flowers and other flora that typically bloom early in the spring will instead bloom with the rest of the flora later in the season. With everything blooming at once, this means that the typical spring allergy season will be dramatically worse. Allergy sufferers are not pleased with the severe symptoms they are already feeling.
Jeni Arbuckle, a freshman from McPherson said that the pollen in the air has triggered her symptoms frequently.
"Pollen is the main source of all the problems most people have with seasonal allergies so there's tons of people, myself included, that are just dying because of how high the levels have been recently," Arbuckle said.
The Lawrence area has been under a tree pollen advisory several times in the past couple of weeks. Arbuckle said she had to step up her tactics in her effort to stop her symptoms.
"I've been using eye drops, cough drops, and Benadryl. I'm
taking Zyrtec just about every morning. After a week or two of taking it consistently, there's a pretty noticeable change in the harshness of your symptoms," Arbuckle said.
Kalen Stockton, a freshman from Topeka, is also feeling this spring's effects.
"I almost never suffer from allergies, especially in April, but this year I'm sneezing every five seconds," Stockton said.
Stockton said her symptoms are so unpleasant that she cannot compare what she is experiencing to anything she has felt before.
"My symptoms started about a week ago, a few days after the spring break snow. I'm sneezing like crazy — very violently. I have a sore throat and scratchy voice, and my eyes are very watery. The symptoms are definitely worse up on here on the hill with all this wind," Stockton said.
Students who are experiencing symptoms severe enough to disrupt their daily life and school work are encouraged to talk to a doctor at Watkins Health Center to see what is causing their allergies to flare up and what they can do to end the suffering.
Edited by Elise Reuter
AWARDS
University Daily Kansan advertising staff named best in nation
CONTRIBUTED BY ELLEN REINECKE
from left to right: Jacob Snider, Ellen Reinecke, Ross Newton, Jordan Jurczak and Elise Farrington hold up the trophy for the Best Advertising Staff in the nation. This is the third year that the University Daily Kansan has been named best in the nation at College Newspaper Business and Advertising Managers. They won first place in four categories, second place in four categories and third in one category this past weekend in San Diego, Calif.
The University Daily Kansan advertising staff is the Best Advertising Staff in the nation for the third year in a row, according to College Newspaper Business and Advertising Managers, Inc. The staff traveled to San Diego over the weekend to network with other college advertisers and professionals and to compete in various competitions.
"Winning Best Ad Staff in the Nation this year is a tremendous accomplishment," said Ross Newton, the Kansan's marketing manager. "I am so very lucky I was able to lead such an amazing group of individuals that continually come together to make the 'Famsan'"
HANNAH WISE
hwise@kansan.com
CRYPTOQUIPS 5A
OPINION 4A
SPORTS 1B
SUDOKU 5A
This is the Kansan's third consecutive victory in the Saturday Morning Sell-Off. Previous Kansan winners are Lorin Jetter, a 2012 alumna, and Joe Garvey, a 2010 alumnus.
Newton, a senior from Olathe, took first place in the CNBAM Saturday Morning Sell-Off competition. During the sell-off, students participate in a mock sales call in front of a panel of three judges. Each contestant is given one sales scenario and has five to eight minutes to successfully sell to the "client."
CNBAM also awarded Newton third place in the Manager of the Year category for his experience as Kansan business manager during the 2012 summer and fall semesters.
Index CLASSIFIED 2B CROSSWORD 5A
Tim Shedor, a Junior from
Don't forget
unless stated otherwise, © 2013 The University Daily Kansan
"It's a great honor," Shedor said about the award. "More people should learn how to code. You learn the most outside the classroom."
Shedor has also worked at the Brockton Creative Group as an interactive developer, the United Nations as a virtual intern, PoliticalFiber.com as the technical editor and as a student web pro-
Overland Park, was awarded first place for Designer of the Year. Shedor worked for the Kansan as a web designer and technical editor. He redesigned Kansan.com and developed a digital rate card that was awarded first place for Best Digital Rate Card.
SEE CNBAM PAGE 8A
Your umbrella when you come to campus today. There is a slight chance of rain.
Today's Weather
Mostly cloudy, south Southeast winds at 5 to 15 mph, 30 percent chance of rain
Clouds, clouds, clouds