Auditory changes in mobile users: is evidence forthcoming?
Panda NK, Modi R, Munjal S, Virk RS. · 2011
View Original AbstractLong-term mobile phone use may damage both inner ear and brain hearing centers, with risk increasing after 3+ years of use.
Plain English Summary
Researchers tested the hearing of 125 long-term mobile phone users and compared them to 58 people who never used mobile phones. They found that both GSM and CDMA phone users had significantly more hearing damage, including problems with the inner ear (cochlea) and brain's auditory processing centers. The damage was worse in people who used phones for more than 3 years and affected both ears equally.
Why This Matters
This study adds to mounting evidence that chronic mobile phone use may cause measurable biological damage beyond just heating tissue. The researchers found damage to both the cochlea (the ear's sound-detecting organ) and auditory cortex (the brain region that processes sound), suggesting EMF exposure affects multiple levels of the hearing system. What makes this particularly concerning is that the damage was bilateral, meaning it affected both ears even though people typically hold phones to just one ear. This suggests the electromagnetic fields are having systemic effects on auditory function. The finding that damage increased with usage duration over 3 years points to cumulative harm from everyday phone use at levels considered safe by current regulations.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
This study was undertaken to assess and compare potential changes in hearing function at the level of the inner ear and central auditory pathway due to chronic exposure to electromagnetic waves from both global system for mobile communications (GSM) and code division multiple access (CDMA) mobile phone usage.
One hundred twenty-five subjects who were long-term mobile phone users (more than 1 year; 63 GSM and...
GSM and CDMA users were found to be at a significantly higher risk of having DPOAE absent as compare...
Long-term and intensive GSM and CDMA mobile phone use may cause damage to cochlea as well as the auditory cortex.
Show BibTeX
@article{nk_2011_auditory_changes_in_mobile_1524,
author = {Panda NK and Modi R and Munjal S and Virk RS.},
title = {Auditory changes in mobile users: is evidence forthcoming?},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1177/0194599810394953},
url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0194599810394953},
}