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Does choir singing cause noise-induced hearing loss?
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, General Hospital Vienna, University of Vienna Medical School, Austria.
Audiology : Official Organ of the International Society of Audiology
|February 25, 1998
Summary
Professional choir singers may experience noise-induced hearing loss, particularly in the low-frequency region, differing from typical noise-induced hearing loss patterns. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore potential causes like increased endolymph pressure.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Occupational Health
- Music Performance Science
Background:
- Musicians' health issues are documented, but noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) from choir singing remains understudied.
- Choir singing can generate sound pressure levels exceeding 110 dB SPL, with significant energy below 1 kHz.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential hearing loss in professional choir singers.
- To compare hearing thresholds in choir singers with normative data and identify affected frequency regions.
Main Methods:
- Hearing threshold levels were measured in 62 singers from a large opera choir.
- Results were compared with normative data (ISO 7029) and control groups with normal hearing.
Main Results:
- Choir singers showed the most significant hearing threshold shifts in the low-frequency region (250 Hz and above), unlike typical NIHL patterns affecting high frequencies.
- Hearing losses at 125 Hz and potentially 250 Hz may stem from factors other than noise, possibly related to increased endolymph pressure from singing.
Conclusions:
- Choir singing may cause NIHL, primarily affecting low frequencies, which warrants further investigation.
- The study hypothesizes that singing could increase endolymph pressure, leading to low-frequency hearing loss.
- Further research is required to validate these findings across more choirs and explore the link between singing and cerebrospinal fluid pressure.