Which factors to induce hearing loss in professional musicians? Extensive literature review and histopathology findings can answer it

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the determining factors of noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in professional musicians (PMs).

Methods: An extensive review using Pubmed, Medscape and Google scholar research was performed and studies with the following keywords were selected: ‘hearing loss, tinnitus, hyperacusis, music, classical music, rock music, pop music, musicians, orchestra, music student, professional musician, non-professional musician, music exposure and temporary hearing loss’. A histopathology study from individuals who during life were musician in orchestra was described.

Results: Eighty to ninety per cent of PMs are affected from noise-induced SNHL at 3000–8000 Hz frequencies. The range of the frequency of SNHL was correlated with the frequency of the specific frequency of the musical instrument and to the sound intensity which they were exposed. The two temporal bones studied, showed a severely loss hair cells at the basal turn of both cochleae and moderate loss of hair cells in medial and apical turn.

Conclusion: The review and the results of the temporal bones (TBs) findings show that the intensity and frequency range are the more relevant factors causing noise-induced high frequency SNHL. The time exposed to sound, instead, can impact the low frequency range as supported by temporal bone results.

Keywords:

• Hearing loss
• musician
• tinnitus
• pop/rock
• classical
• presbycusis
• noise
• music

Acknowledgements

Sincerely grateful to Professor J. B. Nadol for suggestions of temporal bone analysis, to the Otopathology Laboratory for allowing me to use temporal bone specimens for this study and to authorize the image publication. Thanks to Reuven Ishai for his support in temporal bone analysis and to review this article. Thanks to Mrs Dalila Roccamatisi for her support in technical music details, to Mrs Garyfallia Pagonis for her support in image editing, to Mrs Diane Jones for the English editing and special thanks to Mass Eye and Ear to host this study.

Disclosure statement

The author reports no conflict of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of this article.