Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Abstract

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the second most common cause of sensorineural hearing loss, after age-related hearing loss, and affects approximately 5% of the world’s population. NIHL is associated with substantial physical, mental, social, and economic impacts at the patient and societal levels. Stress and social isolation in patients’ workplace and personal lives contribute to quality-of-life decrements which may often go undetected. The pathophysiology of NIHL is multifactorial and complex, encompassing genetic and environmental factors with substantial occupational contributions. The diagnosis and screening of NIHL are conducted by reviewing a patient’s history of noise exposure, audiograms, speech-in-noise test results, and measurements of distortion product otoacoustic emissions and auditory brainstem response. Essential aspects of decreasing the burden of NIHL are prevention and early detection, such as implementation of educational and screening programs in routine primary care and specialty clinics. Additionally, current research on the pharmacological treatment of NIHL includes anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-excitatory, and anti-apoptotic agents. Although there have been substantial advances in understanding the pathophysiology of NIHL, there remain low levels of evidence for effective pharmacotherapeutic interventions. Future directions should include personalized prevention and targeted treatment strategies based on a holistic view of an individual’s occupation, genetics, and pathology.

Perceived occupational health risks, noise and dust exposure levels among street sweepers in Mwanza City in Northern Tanzania

“…Exposure to noise levels above 85dB(A) during their working days among street sweepers in the present study provide an alert to a silent yet significant occupation health problem among those involved. According to OSHA, exposure to noise should not exceed 100dB(A), and city traffic noise should not exceed 85dB(A) [ 20 , 30 ]. Street sweepers in the present study are exposed to noise levels above 85dB(A) for more than 8hours a day.…”

“…Street sweepers in the present study are exposed to noise levels above 85dB(A) for more than 8hours a day. This among other reasons could be potentiating the risk for hearing loss [ 30 ], There is sufficient scientific evidence that noise exposure can induce hearing impairment, hypertension and ischemic heart disease, annoyance, sleep disturbance, and decreased school performance, therefore this may be of serious consequence if not addressed [ 30 – 32 ]. In the present study, exposure to noise levels above 85dB(A) was more prevalent among street sweepers who had reported difficulty in breathing, coughing, and nose irritation.…”

Oseltamivir (Tamiflu), a Commonly Prescribed Antiviral Drug, Mitigates Hearing Loss in Mice

“…Hearing loss is a highly prevalent cause of global disability and is estimated to affect up to 10% of the population worldwide (Carroll et al, 2017; Natarajan et al, 2023; Oishi and Schacht, 2011). Hearing dysfunction negatively impacts an individual’s quality of life and is a known risk factor for poor academic performance, dementia, overall cognitive decline and depression (Lin et al, 2023; Loughrey et al, 2018; Orgel et al, 2016).…”

“…Hearing dysfunction negatively impacts an individual’s quality of life and is a known risk factor for poor academic performance, dementia, overall cognitive decline and depression (Lin et al, 2023; Loughrey et al, 2018; Orgel et al, 2016). Among the most common causes of severe hearing loss are cisplatin, a broadly used chemotherapeutic agent, and high-decibel noise exposure (Callejo et al, 2015; Natarajan et al, 2023). Up to 60% of patients treated with cisplatin develop severe, permanent hearing loss and noise-induced hearing loss is the second most frequent form of sensorineural hearing impairment after age-related hearing loss (Callejo et al, 2015; Carroll et al, 2017; Dobie, 2008).…”

Sound intensities between 40 dB and 50 dB are suitable for acoustic-cued water maze tests

“…While the conventional MWM uses visual cue, the acoustic-cued water maze, as its name suggests, employs sound as the cue. The acousticcued water maze can extend the application of the MWM and can be used to study murine learning and memory when the animals have visual de cits, or to study harmful agents or risk factors for hearing loss as well as interventional measures to improve or protect hearing and thus has expanded the applications of water maze tests [4][5][6][7] . This paper compares the effects of different sound intensities on acoustic-cued water maze tests, aiming to determine an appropriate sound intensity to perform the acoustic-cued water maze test.…”