Acoustic alteration, hearing loss and their prevention

Aim. The paper aims to identify the predictors of early hearing loss in persons exposed to long-term acoustic alteration of the auditory analyzer, to define pre-clinical audiological criteria, and to enhance preventive care. Materials and methods. A retrospective processing of 899 audiograms was performed in patients with occupational sensorineural hearing loss (railroad workers and athletes) exposed to vibration and acoustic noise (biathlon, ice hockey, shooting, etc.), who sought medical help and were examined between 2018 and 2021. Medical examination was performed in accordance with current medical standards. Based on the data obtained all patients were divided into groups by their average score of auditory function at 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz separately for each ear for 1, 6 and 12 months. These data were used for subsequent corrective and preventive actions. Results. The audiograms obtained and the comparative analysis of the predictors of sensorineural hearing loss allowed to study trigger factors that aggravated noise perception and to identify terms of early prevention of hearing loss. The study of criteria for the assessment of possible sensorineural hearing loss allowed to unify the models of preventive strategies. Conclusion. The data obtained show the variety of factors that affect the development of hearing loss in athletes and industrial workers. During examination, the factors of noise exposure should be taken into account for early prevention of hearing loss.