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A study on the effect of prolonged mobile phone use on pure tone audiometry thresholds of medical students of Sikkim.

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Das S, Chakraborty S, Mahanta B. · 2017

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Medical students showed measurable hearing loss in their phone-exposed ear after 5+ years of regular use, suggesting cumulative auditory damage from mobile phone radiation.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers tested the hearing of medical students who had been using mobile phones for at least 5 years, comparing the ear they typically hold their phone to versus their other ear. They found measurable hearing loss in the phone-exposed ear at high frequencies (2, 4, and 8 kHz), with both air and bone conduction thresholds significantly elevated compared to the unexposed ear. This suggests that regular mobile phone use may gradually damage hearing, particularly at frequencies important for understanding speech.

Why This Matters

This study adds to a growing body of evidence linking mobile phone radiation to auditory damage. What makes this research particularly compelling is its elegant design - using each person as their own control by comparing exposed versus unexposed ears. The reality is that most of us hold our phones to the same ear consistently, creating a natural experiment in long-term EMF exposure. The finding that both air and bone conduction were affected suggests the damage goes beyond just the outer ear structures. While the study doesn't specify exact exposure levels, medical students represent heavy phone users - a population increasingly common as mobile devices become central to daily life. The authors' conclusion is telling: until we have more concrete evidence about safe exposure levels, the prudent approach is limiting phone use duration.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 2 kHz - 8 kHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 2 kHz - 8 kHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 2 kHz, 4 kHz, and 8 kHz

Study Details

The objective of the study was to study the effect of mobile phone on average pure tone audiometry (PTA) threshold of the person and to study the changes in the pure tone threshold at high frequencies such as 2 kHz, 4 kHz, and 8 kHz among the students with prolonged exposure to mobile phones.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among the medical students who have been using mobile phones f...

The study shows that there is a significant difference in average air conduction (AC) and bone condu...

The study conducted shows changes in the hearing threshold of the exposed ear when compared with the nonexposed ear. There are however lot of unanswered questions which provide an interesting avenue for further research. Till concrete evidence is available the only feasible way to control its exposure is to limit the duration of usage of mobile phones.

Cite This Study
Das S, Chakraborty S, Mahanta B. (2017). A study on the effect of prolonged mobile phone use on pure tone audiometry thresholds of medical students of Sikkim. J Postgrad Med. 63(4):221-225, 2017.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2017_a_study_on_the_2014,
  author = {Das S and Chakraborty S and Mahanta B.},
  title = {A study on the effect of prolonged mobile phone use on pure tone audiometry thresholds of medical students of Sikkim.},
  year = {2017},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28272071/},
}
PubMed: 28272071

Cited By (8 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, research shows prolonged mobile phone use can cause measurable hearing loss in the ear you typically hold your phone to. Medical students who used phones for 5+ years showed elevated hearing thresholds at 2, 4, and 8 kHz frequencies compared to their unexposed ear.
Studies demonstrate that mobile phone radiation specifically impacts high frequency hearing at 2, 4, and 8 kHz. These frequencies are crucial for understanding speech. Both air and bone conduction hearing thresholds were significantly elevated in phone-exposed ears compared to unexposed ears.
Research on medical students found measurable hearing damage after at least 5 years of regular mobile phone use. The study showed significant differences in hearing thresholds between the phone-exposed ear and the unexposed ear, suggesting gradual damage over time.
Cell phone radiation primarily affects hearing at 2 kHz, 4 kHz, and 8 kHz frequencies. These high frequencies showed significantly elevated hearing thresholds in phone-exposed ears. These same frequencies are essential for understanding speech and detecting consonant sounds in conversation.
Yes, mobile phone radiation affects both air conduction and bone conduction hearing. Research found significantly elevated bone conduction thresholds in phone-exposed ears at high frequencies, indicating that radiation impacts the inner ear's ability to process sound through bone vibration.