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Noise pollution is human or machine generated sound which disturbs the environment. Unlike other forms of  pollution , noise pollution is transient, and once the noise stops, there is no trace of it. While the intensity of  noise at a particular instant can be measured, the cumulative damage caused by noise cannot be easily assessed. The definition of noise is also subjective, some people enjoy loud music, but it causes  stress and headaches for others.

A noise is an undesired sound and whether it is undesirable for a particular individual depends on a number of factors such as

1. Intensity, content and frequency of the noise

2. Time at which it occurs, noise at night  is a greater problem

3.The listeners temperament and state of mind.

4. Whether the listener can control the origin of the sound. A listener who has no control over the noise is more likely to be irritated.

The adverse effects of  noise pollution are:

1.Hearing loss : High noise levels can cause both short term and permanent hearing loss. A person will recover from a short term hearing loss, if  the person is no longer exposed to loud noises.  However, with continuous exposure to loud noise, the human ear does not get a chance to recover and parts of  the ear are destroyed. The patient suffers from permanent hearing loss which cannot be treated. Studies show that noise pollution causes more hearing loss compared to aging.
2. People who are exposed to high noise pollution levels suffer from stress and are irritable. They often suffer from high blood pressure and have a higher probability of  suffering from heart diseases. They usually shout to make themselves heard above the background noise.