Hidden Hearing Loss? Effects of Recreational Sound Exposure on Auditory Function

Le Prell CG, Lobarinas E, Spankovich C. Hidden Hearing Loss? Effects of Recreational Sound Exposure on Auditory Function. In: AES Conference: 2018 AES International Conference on Music Induced Hearing Disorders. Audio Engineering Society; 2018. Paper P-7. Available from: https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=19576

@inproceedings{LePrell2018_19576,
  author = {Le Prell, Colleen G. and Lobarinas, Edward and Spankovich, Christopher},
  title = {{Hidden Hearing Loss? Effects of Recreational Sound Exposure on Auditory Function}},
  booktitle = {AES Conference: 2018 AES International Conference on Music Induced Hearing Disorders},
  note = {Paper P-7},
  year = {2018},
  month = jun,
  publisher = {Audio Engineering Society},
  url = {https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=19576}
}

TY  - CPAPER
TI  - Hidden Hearing Loss? Effects of Recreational Sound Exposure on Auditory Function
AU  - Le Prell, Colleen G.
AU  - Lobarinas, Edward
AU  - Spankovich, Christopher
T2  - AES Conference: 2018 AES International Conference on Music Induced Hearing Disorders
M1  - Paper P-7
PY  - 2018
DA  - 2018/06/06
UR  - https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=19576
PB  - Audio Engineering Society
LA  - en
AB  - Our recent studies assessing young-adult college student cohorts from diverse geographic regions have failed to detect statistically significant relationships between various audiometric measures and self-reported recreational noise exposure history. All studies collected retrospective cross-sectional data; in addition, a subset of subjects were followed prospectively to assess potential auditory effects of new loud recreational activities. Testing has included tympanometry, pure-tone detection thresholds, word-in-noise identification tests, distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) amplitude, and auditory brainstem response (ABR) amplitude measurements. There have been no reliable relationships between self-reported recreational noise history and auditory function in young adult populations from Nashville (Tennessee), Gainesville (Florida), and Dallas (Texas). In a single study assessing changes in function following loud recreational event exposures, temporary word-in-noise deficits were detected as a function of increasing noise exposure dose, but ABR amplitude was unchanged. Taken together, temporary changes in function have largely been restricted to changes on the word-in-noise test and no permanent deficits have been observed in association with recreational sound exposure. These data contrast with other reports including musicians and firearm users as subjects. A major ongoing challenge to the field is the lack of consensus on specific functional tests.
ER  -