The effect on the temporary threshold shift in hearing acuity from combined exposure to authentic noise and hand-arm vibration

• Published in: International archives of occupational and environmental health Vol. 84; no. 8; pp. 951 - 957
• Main Authors: Pettersson, Hans, Burström, Lage, Nilsson, Tohr
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.12.2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Arms; Auditory Threshold - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Combined exposure; Ears & hearing; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental Health; Exposure; Female; Gender; Hand-arm vibration (HAV); Hands; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Noise; Noise, Occupational - adverse effects; Occupational Diseases - etiology; Occupational Diseases - physiopathology; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Original Article; Rehabilitation; Sex Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Temporary threshold shift (TTS); Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; Vascular injuries: limbs, aorta, vena cava; Vibration; Vibration - adverse effects; Young Adult; Sweden; Europe; Temporary threshold shift (TTS); Gender; Combined exposure; Hand-arm vibration (HAV); Noise; Human; Nervous system diseases; Vibration induced disorder; Sex; Auditory disorder; Toxic association; Striated muscle disease; Hearing; Musculoskeletal disorder; ENT disease; Repetitive micro-trauma; Noise pollution; Neurological disorder; Hand-arm vibration syndrome
• ISSN: 0340-0131; 1432-1246; 1432-1246
• DOI: 10.1007/s00420-011-0635-6

Objectives This study examined and compared the effect on temporary threshold shift in hearing (TTS) in healthy subjects of noise and hand-arm vibration (HAV) combined and separately using controlled and authentic exposure conditions . This study also investigated the effect on TTS in hearing in relation to gender after such exposures. Methods Twenty-two healthy subjects (11 men/women, mean age 22 years, range 18–31 years) were exposed both separately and in combination with HAV (6.7 m/s 2 ), using vibrating handles and to noise (99dB(A)) using headphones, for 20 min. The HAV and noise were reproduced from recordings from angular grinder in operation. Hearing thresholds at 1, 4, and 8 kHz were measured before and up to 30 min after exposure. Results Combined exposure to noise and HAV created significantly greater TTS in hearing than HAV exposure at 4 and 8 kHz alone. After exposure to HAV, there was no significant change in hearing threshold. At 1 kHz, there was a significant difference between noise and HAV exposure in TTS in hearing. There was no significant difference between combined exposure and noise exposure for any test frequency. There was no significant difference in TTS in hearing in relation to gender for 1, 4, and 8 kHz for HAV, noise, or a combined exposure. Conclusions The results indicate that there is no difference in the TTS in hearing after combined exposure compared to noise exposure alone. HAV exposure did not change the hearing threshold. The TTS in hearing did not differ significantly in relation to gender after HAV, noise, or combined exposure.