Constant buzz in ears can drive policemen insane

The IT capital of India, Bengaluru, has seen an unprecedented increase in vehicular noise caused by an exponential increase in the number of vehicles on its roads, according to her. With this steady rise of vehicular traffic in the city, policemen manning it are being exposed to all kinds of health hazards. Constant exposure to vehicular noise causes one to develop tinnitus (buzzing sound in ear), which in turn can lead to psychological problems, disturbed sleep, as well as irregular blood pressure and sugar levels, she said.

“Continuous law enforcement by the traffic police is always a challenging task due to their occupational settings and working conditions. Poor management, inadequate or broken equipment, excessive overtime, frequent rotating shifts, regular change in duty, family and relationship problems, financial woes and health concerns are some of the factors affecting their mental health. Enduring stress on a prolonged basis reduces work performance and manifests itself in the form of severely debilitating conditions.

“The good news, though, is that their job-related stress has not gone unnoticed by agencies that work for their wellbeing and the state government. That is why stress management workshops are regularly organised for traffic policemen. These interventions are bound to help these officers cope with their arduous working conditions. The government also organises training courses for them, including lifesaving ones. NIMHANS also conducted a health check-up for police personnel recently.

“We, of course, need to continuously examine ways to reduce psychological stress to ensure that they feel physically and mentally competent to perform their duty efficiently while staying alert, she said.”

Dr Prathima Murthy (Director, NIMHANS)