Review of environmental factors affecting hearing

The major nongenetic causes of sensorineural hearing loss are exposure to noise, aging, ototoxic drugs, viral and bacterial infections, and interactions between these factors. Regarding exposure to continuous noise, the data base from laboratory and field studies indicates that a risk of hearing loss is present when noise levels exceed 75-80 dBA. As noise level, duration and number of exposures increase so does risk. The data base for other forms of noise (intermittent, impact) is not as established. Risk of hearing loss due to impulse noise increases as the peak SPL exceeds 145-155 dB and as the duration of the impulse, the number of impulses and the number of exposures increase. High-level acoustic impulses can cause severe, permanent hearing loss. Interaction between some steady-state noises and some acoustic impulses can be synergistic, producing extensive injuries to the organ of Corti. Noise can also interact synergistically with some aminoglycoside antibiotics to produce severe injuries in the inner ear. These antibiotics are also capable of producing hearing loss and indeed may do so in up to 55% of the one million persons who receive aminoglycoside antibiotics during the course of treatment for tuberculosis or severe gram-negative infections. Bacterial and viral infections may also produce mild to severe hearing loss. With the development of rubella vaccine and Rhogam, cytomegalovirus may have become the most common cause of congenital deafness. Aging is also a major cause of hearing loss. Exposure to occupational and environmental noise, certain diseases and life styles (diet, stress, drugs) may interact with the specific effects of aging. The result is moderate to severe hearing loss in a majority of older persons.