Noise induced hearing loss in low frequencies in employees in a hospital microbiology department

Konstantina Chrysouli; Dimitrios Kikidis

doi:10.18203/issn.2454-5929.ijohns20211582

Authors

Konstantina Chrysouli University of Athens Medical School Department of ENT, University of Athens, Medical School
Dimitrios Kikidis Department of ENT, University of Athens, Medical School

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2454-5929.ijohns20211582

Keywords:

Noise induced hearing loss, Low frequencies, Laboratory employees, Cochlear hair cell damage, Physiological and psychological effects

Abstract

Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is regarded as a serious problem and one of the most recorded occupational disorders in Europe and in the rest of the world and amounts to between 7% and 21% of the hearing loss. Aim of this study is to explore the development and the prevalence of low frequency noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in a hospital, especially in microbiology laboratory workers. Generally it is known that 4 KHz is the main NIHL frequency. Despite current theories, our study suggests for the first time the impact of low frequency noise in hearing loss among laboratory workers. According to the results, the population examined, namely the employees at the Microbiology Department of the Hospital, showed lower hearing levels compared to the control group, who had no history of occupational exposure to noise. There are many other studies which suggest that prolonged exposures to high noise levels have negative physiological and psychological effects on workers. The finding of the correlation of noise frequency with the frequency of the generated hearing loss is involved in the controversy about the pathophysiology of noise effect.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Nelson DI, Nelson RY, Concha-Barrientos M, Fingerhut M. The global burden of occupational noise-induced hearing loss. Am J Industrial Med. 2005;48(6):446-58.

Dobie RA. The burdens of age-related and occupational noise-induced hearing loss in the United States. Ear Hearing. 2008;29(4):565-77.

Lie A, Skogstad M, Johannessen HA. Occupational noise exposure and hearing: a systematic review. Int Arch Occupational Environmental Health. 2016;89(3):351-72.

Hoffman HJ, Ko C-W, Themann CL, Dillon CF, Franks JR. Reducing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in adults to achieve U.S. Healthy People 2010 goals. Abstract. Am J Epidemiol. 2006;163(11):S122.

Verbeek JH, Kateman E, Morata TC, Dreschler WA, Mischke C. Interventions to prevent occupational noise-induced hearing loss. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;10:CD006396.

Engdahl B, Tambs K. Occupation and the risk of hearing impairment—results from the Nord-Trondelag study on hearing loss. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2010;36(3):250-7.

Martin RH, Gibson ES, Lockington JN Occupational hearing loss between 85 and 90 dBA. J Occup Med. 1975;17(1):13-8.

Clifford RE, Rogers RA. Impulse noise: theoretical solutions to the quandary of cochlear protection. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2009;118(6):417-27.

Greek Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Greek and International Experience in Accidents and Occupational Diseases of workers in hospitals- Guide for Assessment and Prevention of Occupational Risk. 2007.

Chang SJ, Shih TS, Chou TC, Chen CJ, Chang HY, Sung FC. Hearing loss in workers exposed to carbon disulfide and noise. Environ Health Perspect. 2003;111(13):1620-4.

Burk A, Neitzel RL. An exploratory study of noise exposures in educational and private dental clinics. J occup environ hyg dental. 2016;14:1-29.

Irwin J. Noise-induced hearing loss and the 4 kHz dip. Occupational Medicine. 1994;44:222-3.

Robinson DW. Repeatability of results in noise exposure over two years. Br J Audiol. 1991;25:219-35.

Chüden H. Is there noise-induced hearing loss in the low and middle tone frequencies? Laryngol Rhinol Otol (Stuttg). 1983;62(10):481-4.

Drexl M, Uberfuhr M. Multiple indices of the bounce phenomenon obtained from the same human ears. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2014;5:57-72.

Kugler K, Wiegrebe L, Grothe B, Kössl M, Gürkov R, Krause E et al. Low-frequency sound affects active micromechanics in the human inner ear. 2014.

Kemp DT, Brill OJ. Slow oscillatory cochlear adaptation to brief overstimulation: cochlear homeostasis dynamics. In Concepts and challenges in the biophysics of hearing (eds NP Cooper, DT Kemp). 2009;168-74.

Kevanishvili Z, Hofmann G. Behavior of evoked otoacoustic emission under low-frequency tone exposure: objective study of the bounce phenomenon in humans. Hear Res. 2006;222:62-9.

Bian L, Watts KL. Effects of low-frequency biasing on spontaneous otoacoustic emissions: amplitude modulation. J Acoust Soc Am. 2008;123:887-98.

Bian L. Effects of low-frequency biasing on spontaneous otoacoustic emissions: frequency modulation. J Acoust Soc Am. 2008;124:3009-21.

Salt AN. Acute endolymphatic hydrops generated by exposure of the ear to nontraumatic low-frequency tones. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2004;5:203-214.

Patuzzi R. Ion flow in cochlear hair cells and the regulation of hearing sensitivity. Hear Res. 2011;280:3-20.

Frolenkov GI, Mammano F. Regulation of outer hair cell cytoskeletal stiffness by intracellular Ca$^2+$: underlying mechanism and implications for cochlear mechanics. Cell Calcium 2003;33:185-195.

D’ Agostin F, Negro C. Musculoskeletal disorders and work –related injuries among hospital day-and shift workers. Med Lav. 2014;105(5):346-56.

Wada K. Work –relted diseases among health care workers, Nihon Rinsho. 2014;72(2):323-7.

Tihana S, Lovorka D, Adriana U, Domagoj M, Durda M et al Occupational exposures in healthcare workers in university hospital dubrava - 10 year follow-up study. Central European Journal of Public Health. 2013;21(3):150-4.

De Sio S, Goglia C, Cristaudo A, Pacella E, Romanelli F et al. Italy and Argentina compared: an epidemiological study of occupational diseases. Research Unit of Occupational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Annali di Igiene: Medicina Preventiva e di Comunita. 2016;28(1):50-7.

Prashanth KVM, Sridhar V. The relationship between noise frequency components and physical, physiological and psychological effects of industrial workers. Noise Health. 2008;10(40):90-8.