The effect of intermittent noise exposure on wound healing

This study used an animal model to investigate whether exposure to intermittent noise affects wound healing. Forty male and female rats were anesthetized and received a 2.5 x 2.5-cm excisional wound on the back. For 19.5 days, 20 of the rats were exposed to periods of broad-band white noise ranging from 2 to 16 KHz. Data analysis revealed that the treatment group's wounds healed more slowly than the control group's (F = 12.64, p < or = .01). The rats' food intake and weights were also measured, and the treatment group's average weight was lower than the control group's (F = 18.94, p < or = .01), although food intake did not differ significantly for the two groups. The rats' gender had no apparent effect on the study results. Because this study used healthy animal subjects, more research is needed to determine if noise delays wound healing in hospitalized patients.