Effect of personal music system use on sacculocollic reflex assessed by cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential: A preliminary investigation

Abstract

Listening to music through a portable personal music system (PMS) is a growing trend, especially among the youth. The preferred listening level in such kinds of PMS has been reported to cross the safe levels and its impact on the auditory system was demonstrated in several previous investigations. Owing to the commonality in several aspects between the auditory and the vestibular systems, it appears likely that the deleterious effects of PMS use could also be impinging on the vestibular system, which has never been investigated. The present study therefore, aimed at evaluating the effects of PMS use on the sacculocollic reflex assessed by the cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) technique. Thirty-two regular PMS users and 32 nonregular PMS users underwent cVEMP testing using alternating polarity 500 Hz tone bursts. The results revealed no significant group difference in latencies and interaural asymmetry ratio. However, the cVEMP was significantly reduced in the group of individuals in whom the diffused field equivalent sound pressure levels (SPLs) were above the damage risk criteria (DRC) compared to those with diffused field equivalent SPLs below it (P < 0.01). Therefore, the use of PMS at high levels of volume controls could be deleterious to the vestibular well-being of an individual.

Auditory Effects of Personal Music Systems in Young Adults: A Questionnaire Based Study

“…Because music, as with other noises, has been reported to be harmful to the auditory system unless within safe limits, we felt it would be worthwhile to study the music listening behaviors of young adults. Previous studies have reported prolonged and unsafe music listening behaviors in this group [1,3,11]. A few studies in the literature have reported reduced hearing and vestibular dysfunction exhibited by individuals who use PMS regularly [1,3].…”

“…This left a study population of 260 young adults within the age range of 17 to 30 years (mean 21.2 years). We prepared a questionnaire (see Appendix) based on custom-made questionnaires used in earlier studies and revised it as per our clinical experience [3,7]. To the best of our knowledge there are no standardized questionnaires available to assess the auditory effects of PMS in the Kannada language.…”

“…In the current study, participants who used PMS for more than 1 h per day at a volume control setting exceeding 60% of the maximum volume, and for at least 2 years, were considered regular PMS users (group 1). This criterion was adopted based on previous research studies [3,10].…”

“…The major hearing-related difficulties after noise exposure include temporary or permanent hearing loss, tinnitus, giddiness, headache, etc. [2][3][4]. WHO has stated that exposure to high levels of noise is a major but avoidable cause of hearing impairment [5].…”

Dispositivo sonoro individual e alteração auditiva precoce: direcionamento à reflexão por meio de ação educativa

“…No grupo estudo (GE), incluíram-se usuários de DSI, por no mínimo uma hora diária (Singh, Sasidharan, 2016), por dois ou mais dias por semana (Melo, 2014) e/ou referiram hábito de escuta em intensidade sonora superior ao recomendado pela OMS, ou seja, 60% da capacidade máxima do equipamento (Singh, Sasidharan, 2016;WHO, 2015), bem como apresentaram curva timpanométrica do tipo A. Os critérios de exclusão foram semelhantes ao grupo controle, porém identificaram-se as queixas auditivas e extra-auditivas para atender ao objetivo da pesquisa em relação a investigação dos efeitos do uso do dispositivo. Embora, não se pudesse obter certeza sobre a origem da queixa relatada, ressaltou-se que o questionamento referia-se, exclusivamente, ao uso do dispositivo sonoro.…”