Recreational Firearm Use and Hearing Loss

Abstract

These results indicate that use of recreational firearms is associated with marked high-frequency hearing loss in men. There is a need for further education of users of recreational firearms regarding the risk of hearing impairment associated with firearm use and the availability and importance of appropriate hearing protection.

Influence of leisure-time noise on outer hair cell activity in medical students

“…During the past years, clinical and scientific attention has turned to non-occupational, recreational or leisure noise and its possible role in causing NIHL. There are numerous reports on different potentially hazardous agents such as children's toys (Luxon 1998), firecrackers (Plontke et al 2002) and firearms (Nondahl et al 2000;Stewart et al 2002). Much attention has been focused on the effects of loud music from personal listening devices (Mostafapour et al 1998), pop concerts and discotheques, especially in young people (Delb et al 1999;Jokitulppo et al 1997;Tin and Lim 2000).…”

Hearing Acuity Loss Of Operators Of Food Grinding Machines In Calabar, Nigeria

“…The noise level at the sites of the grinding machines in the two markets and the control sites was measured using the sound level meter 72-860 (Tenma test equipment Springboro Ohio, USA). Informed consent was obtained from each participant at the beginning of the study (Nondahl et al, 2000) and the study carried out in accordance with the ethical standards of the ethical committee of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975 revised in 1983.…”

“…Before performing hearing assessment (audiometry) otoscopy was done (Nondahl et al, 2000) to further exclude subjects with abnormal findings. In some subjects, after otoscopic examination using the otoscope, wax or debris in the external auditory canal were removed using Aural syringe, Johnson Horne's probes and wax hook.…”

“…Studies of occupational noise exposure and its deleterious effect abound in literature (Klockhoff et al, 1986;Prosser et al, 1988;Kryter, 1991;Pekkarinen et al, 1993;Nondahl et al, 2000;Soleki, 2001;Sadhra et al, 2002). However, the intensity of noise and duration of exposure that may lead to hearing impairment is not certain.…”

Hearing status among cabin crew in a Swedish commercial airline company

“…In addition to ageing, which is the major factor for hearing loss, occupational noise (Lusk 1997), genetic heredity, head injury, infection, certain drugs, high blood pressure (Correa Filho et al 2002) and tobacco smoking (Uchida et al 2005) are other risk factors. Moreover, exposure to shooting and other impulse noise during leisure time may also cause hearing loss (Nondahl et al 2000). Exposure to non-impulse recreational noise, e.g.…”