Download PDF
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Journal of Health and Allied Sciences NU 2022; 12(02): 119-125
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1736272
Original Article

Effect of Radiofrequency Waves of Mobile Phones on Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions

Swetapadma Nayak 
1   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nitte (Deemed to be University), KS Hegde Medical Academy, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
,
Rajeshwary Aroor 
1   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nitte (Deemed to be University), KS Hegde Medical Academy, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
,
Usha Shastri 
2   Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Kasturba Medical College, Karnataka, India
,
M. K. Goutham 
1   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nitte (Deemed to be University), KS Hegde Medical Academy, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
,
Devika Sinha 
1   Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nitte (Deemed to be University), KS Hegde Medical Academy, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
› Author Affiliations
› Further Information
   Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Objective The prolonged exposure to electromagnetic fields of mobile phones can damage the cochlear hair cells, which can be detected by otoacoustic emission (OAE). To know the effect of mobile phones on hearing, the young volunteers were subjected to prolonged mobile phone usage and changes in OAE were recorded.

Materials and Methods Twenty-eight volunteers with normal hearing were made to talk one full hour continuously on the mobile phone. Distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) was measured prior to the usage of mobile phones and immediately after the use (post-exposure 1) and 24 hours after the use (post-exposure 2). The values were compared.

Results Out of the 28 volunteers, 20 were females and 8 were males. Twenty-one volunteers preferred the right ear while using mobile phones, 7 preferred the left ear. There was no statistically significant difference between the baseline DPOAE values and values of post-exposure 1 and 2 when only the preferred ear was taken into consideration. When the preferred ear was compared with nonpreferred ear, a statistically significant difference was found only in the low frequencies between the pre-exposure and post-exposure 1 values.

Conclusion This study shows there was no significant correlation between OAE and prolonged mobile phone exposure when the preferred ear was not considered.

Keywords

mobile phone - otoacoustic emission - hearing loss

Note

Both institutional ethical clearance and consent from participants were taken.




Publication History

Article published online:
24 October 2021

© 2021. Nitte (Deemed to be University). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
A-12, 2nd Floor, Sector 2, Noida-201301 UP, India

 

  • References

  • 1 Sharma P. Evolution of mobile wireless communication networks-1G to 5G as well as future prospective of next generation communication network. Int J Comp Sci Mobile Comp 2013; 2 (08) 47-53
    Google Scholar
  • 2 Dahlman E, Parkvall S, Skold J. 4G: LTE/LTE-Advanced for Mobile Broadband. 2nd ed.. Cambridge, Academic Press; 2011: 1-13
    Google Scholar
  • 3 Van Leeuwen GM, Lagendijk JJ, Van Leersum BJ, Zwamborn AP, Hornsleth SN, Kotte AN. Calculation of change in brain temperatures due to exposure to a mobile phone. Phys Med Biol 1999; 44 (10) 2367-2379
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Dimbylow PJ, Mann SM. SAR calculations in an anatomically realistic model of the head for mobile communication transceivers at 900 MHz and 1.8 GHz. Phys Med Biol 1994; 39 (10) 1537-1553
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Hazra A, Gogtay N. Biostatistics series module 3: comparing groups: numerical variables. Indian J Dermatol 2016; 61 (03) 251-260
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Hardell L, Carlberg M, Hansson Mild K. Pooled analysis of case-control studies on malignant brain tumours and the use of mobile and cordless phones including living and deceased subjects. Int J Oncol 2011; 38 (05) 1465-1474
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Li DK, Odouli R, Wi S. et al. A population-based prospective cohort study of personal exposure to magnetic fields during pregnancy and the risk of miscarriage. Epidemiology 2002; 13 (01) 9-20
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Braune S, Wrocklage C, Raczek J, Gailus T, Lücking CH. Resting blood pressure increase during exposure to a radio-frequency electromagnetic field. Lancet 1998; 351 (9119): 1857-1858
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Oftedal G, Wilén J, Sandström M, Mild KH. Symptoms experienced in connection with mobile phone use. Occup Med (Lond) 2000; 50 (04) 237-245
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Eşmekaya MA, Seyhan N, Ömeroğlu S. Pulse modulated 900 MHz radiation induces hypothyroidism and apoptosis in thyroid cells: a light, electron microscopy and immunohistochemical study. Int J Radiat Biol 2010; 86 (12) 1106-1116
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Peyman A, Rezazadeh AA, Gabriel C. Changes in the dielectric properties of rat tissue as a function of age at microwave frequencies. Phys Med Biol 2001; 46 (06) 1617-1629
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Thomée S, Härenstam A, Hagberg M. Mobile phone use and stress, sleep disturbances, and symptoms of depression among young adults–a prospective cohort study. BMC Public Health 2011; 11 (01) 66
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 García Callejo FJ, García Callejo F, Peña Santamaría J, Alonso Castañeira I, Sebastián Gil E, Marco Algarra J. Hearing level and intensive use of mobile phones [article in Spanish]. Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp 2005; 56 (05) 187-191
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Hardell L, Carlberg M, Hansson Mild K. Pooled analysis of two case-control studies on use of cellular and cordless telephones and the risk for malignant brain tumours diagnosed in 1997-2003. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2006; 79 (08) 630-639
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Hardell L, Carlberg M, Hansson Mild K. Use of mobile phones and cordless phones is associated with increased risk for glioma and acoustic neuroma. Pathophysiology 2013; 20 (02) 85-110
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Velayutham P, Govindasamy GK, Raman R, Prepageran N, Ng KH. High-frequency hearing loss among mobile phone users. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2014; 66 (01, Suppl 1): 169-172
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Parazzini M, Bell S, Thuroczy G. et al. Influence on the mechanisms of generation of distortion product otoacoustic emissions of mobile phone exposure. Hear Res 2005; 208 (1–2): 68-78
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Paglialonga A, Tognola G, Parazzini M. et al. Effects of mobile phone exposure on time frequency fine structure of transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions. J Acoust Soc Am 2007; 122 (04) 2174-2182
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Parazzini M, Lutman ME, Moulin A. et al. Absence of short-term effects of UMTS exposure on the human auditory system. Radiat Res 2010; 173 (01) 91-97
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Seidman MD, Siegel B, Shah P, Bowyer SM. Hemispheric dominance and cell phone use. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2013; 139 (05) 466-470
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Sharma N, Uma G, Deepak V, Sandeep R. Audiological disturbances in chronic mobile phone users. Eur J Pharm Med Res 2016; 3 (10) 239-242
    Google Scholar
  • 22 Ozturan O, Erdem T, Miman MC, Kalcioglu MT, Oncel S. Effects of the electromagnetic field of mobile telephones on hearing. Acta Otolaryngol 2002; 122 (03) 289-293
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Ahlbom A, Green A, Kheifets L, Savitz D, Swerdlow A. International Commission for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection Standing Committee on Epidemiology. Epidemiology of health effects of radio frequency exposure. Environ Health Perspect 2004; 112 (17) 1741-1754
    PubMedGoogle Scholar