Evaluation of the effect of the menstrual cycle on hearing

Abstract

Objective

In women, sudden changes in sex hormones occur due to the menstrual cycle. These hormonal changes cause changes in the concentrations of inner ear fluid. It is also known that acoustic trauma specifically affects the audiometric frequency of 4000 Hz, and oestrogen has a protective effect against acoustic trauma. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of hormonal changes on the peripheral auditory system during the menstrual cycle.

Methods

Within the scope of this study, pure tone audiometry, wideband tympanometry and otoacoustic emission tests (TEOAEs, & DPOAEs) were performed on 38 normal hearing women, between the ages of 18–25 years who did not use contraceptive medication. Statistical evaluations were performed using IBM Statistics SPSS 20.0 package program.

Results

Data from pure tone air-conduction hearing thresholds, middle ear function and Transient Evoked Otoacoustic emissions suggested that no significant changes were observed between follicular and luteal phases of the assessed subjects. However, for the Distortion Product Otoacoustic emission test, a significant difference was observed in the left ear at 4000 Hz (p ≤ 0.05).

Conclusion

This study suggests that hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle do not have a significantly measurable effect on the peripheral auditory system.

Keywords:

• Menstrual cycle
• otoacoustic emissions
• pure tone audiometry
• resonance frequency

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. Mustafa Bülent Şerbetçioğlu and Dr. Oğuz Yılmaz, for their contributions to previous drafts of the paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).