THERE'S NO TUNING OUT NOISE POLLUTION : HEAR, HEAR! KNOW DECIBEL LEVELS.

Byline: Heesun Wee Daily News Staff Writer

Quiet!

If you think noise pollution doesn't qualify as a health issue, recall the last time your neighbors kept you up all night.

Sleep-deprived, you dragged yourself to work the next day, stressed and irritable. You most likely developed a headache and didn't have much of an appetite. And your sleep pattern probably was disrupted for the remainder of the week.

``Years ago, if someone complained about noise, no one took it seriously. But we do have to take these complaints seriously,'' said Nancy Nadler, director of the Noise Center at the League for the Hard of Hearing in New York City. ``It's not trivial. It's a serious health hazard,'' Nadler said.

Serious, indeed.

In the San Fernando Valley, threats to peace and quiet aren't taken lightly.

In December, Mayor Richard Riordan gave final approval to a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers within 500 feet of a residential area.

On July 1, electric blowers and lawn vacuums that roar more than 45 decibels (roughly the sound level of an activity-filled living room) will be outlawed. Those who ignore the new law will get two warnings before they're fined.

Homeowners near the Van Nuys Airport are riled about a plan to fly Boeing 737 jetliners into the area.

And a small Encino neighborhood that was buffered from the nearby Ventura Freeway (101) by eucalyptus trees cried foul recently when Los Angeles Zoo officials lopped off the 80-foot-tall greenery. Zoo officials, who originally planted the trees in 1981, say they've always intended to cut the trees so the stumps can grow into dense bushes of suckers that koalas like to eat.

But some residents of the neighborhood that abuts the freeway are miffed that their quality of life, and home values, have been affected for koala food.

John Deming, for example, a video technician for CBS in Hollywood, moved to the Encino neighborhood eight years ago. Sure, the freeway noise was audible then. But the noise became much louder once the trees were removed, he said.

``During certain times of the day, you can't go out in the back yard because the noise is so loud. It's not enjoyable,'' Deming said. ``And when they removed the trees, we were able to see the freeway, which psychologically increases the noise.''

Deming's comments don't surprise health experts who say noise pollution not only affects hearing, but can lead to other mental and physiological problems.

Two factors define noise: the decibel or intensity level and the duration of the sound. In other words, a lower-decibel noise for a long period of time can cause as much, or more, damage than a higher-decibel sound for a short period of time.

Dr. Michael Persky, an ear, nose and throat specialist, said three to four patients walk into his Encino office daily suffering from hearing loss.

``Along with hearing loss caused by aging, noise-induced hearing loss is the most common disorder of the ear we typically see,'' Persky said.

Warning signs of hearing loss can include ringing or buzzing in the ears immediately after exposure to noise, a slight muffling of sounds after noise exposure, and difficulty understanding speech.

But too much noise can affect more than your hearing.

Majid Ali, an acupuncturist and herbalist in Reseda, said he has treated several patients whose initial health problems were exacerbated by exposure to loud noise.

Too much noise, for example, can affect appetite. Your body becomes hyper-irritated after too much noise, and subsequently you aren't hungry. Noise pollution also can lead to tension headaches, neck and shoulder pain, mental stress and sleep disorders, Ali added.

In addition, some studies show that noise can affect more than your health.

Earlier this year, Cornell University researchers confirmed that children in schools bombarded by frequent aircraft noise don't learn to read as well as children in quiet schools. One major reason is kids tune out speech during the racket, according to the research.

And moving to the suburbs or rural areas won't necessarily make it easier on your ears.

``It's not just an urban problem. I get mail from people near farm equipment,'' said Nadler of the Noise Center.

``Sounds in the workplace and sounds of everyday life encountered in the community as a whole make noise-induced hearing loss a man-made disease that affects all members of society,'' Persky said.

Both Persky and Ali recommended visiting a family physician and/or audiologist when hearing-loss symptoms are suspected. Also, stick to a well-balanced diet and exercise regularly.

A healthy person, of sound mind and body, is more likely to keep excessive noise in perspective and not let it lead to mental stress and other ailments, they explained.

Noise is an often-overlooked threat to health, but awareness is a first step toward preventing hearing loss and other problems. Employers have been made to take notice, with Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards requiring safety measures when the work environment exceeds 90 decibels. Severe damage to hearing can begin at 140 decibels, which is the threshold for noise-induced pain. Here are some other decibel levels:

Sitting in the woods, 20 decibels.

Sitting in a living room with the TV off, 40 decibels.

Average business office with typewriters, 60 to 70 decibels.

A personal stereo with headsets with 50 percent of the volume on, 81 decibels.

Average street traffic, 80 to 85 decibels.

A personal stereo with headsets with 100 percent of volume on, 96 decibels.

Jackhammer, 100 decibels.

Band music, 110 decibels.

The noise level inside a video arcade can be as high as 110 decibels.

Jet taking off, 130 decibels.

Power lawn mowers, leaf blowers, chain saws and other power tools can be as loud as 130 decibels.

CAPTION(S):

4 photos, box

PHOTO (1) A personal stereo can reach 96 decibels.

(2) A leaf blower can be as loud as a jet takeoff.

(3) For residents living near the Ventura Freeway (101), traffic noise is a way of life. But in one Encino neighborhood the noise became much louder when nearby 80-foot-tall eucalyptus trees were cut down.

Evan Yee/Daily News

(4 -- color) Shhhh...

BOX: Hear, hear! Know decibel levels (see text)