Air pollution can cause hearing loss
A Taiwanese study has found that exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) can cause a sensorineural hearing loss. The higher the exposure, the greater the risk of a sensorineural hearing loss, according to the study.
The participants in the study were evenly exposed to low-level, mid-level and high-level carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
Higher exposure - greater risk
Participants exposed to high-level CO had a higher risk of sensorineural hearing loss compared to those exposed to low-level CO. Participants exposed to mid-level and high-level of NO2 also had a higher risk of sensorineural hearing loss than those exposed to low-level NO2.
Study data
The study used data from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan and consisted of a total of 75,767 participants aged over 20 years with no previous history of sensorineural hearing loss.
The study, “Increased Risk of Sensorineural Hearing Loss as a Result of Exposure to Air Pollution”, was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Sources: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov and the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health