Effect of Electromagnetic Fields from Mobile Phones on the Hearing System: A Narrative Review

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Background and Aims: Mobile phone use has increased in recent years and there is more than 1.6 billion users worldwide. This has increased speculations about the potential dangers of high-frequency Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) on health. Mobile phones receive and transmit microwave radiation in the frequency range of 800-2000 MHz, and due to the proximity of mobile phones to the head during use, the hearing system and brain are more exposed to radiation compared to other parts of the body. The present study aims to review the studies conducted on examining the effect of EMF from mobile phones on the hearing system.
Methods: In this narrative review study, the search was conducted in Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science databases on the related studies.
Results: The studies investigating the short-term effects of EMF on the health of auditory system did not report significant effects, but most of those conducted on its long-term effects showed significant effects.
Conclusion: Further studies are needed to determine how long after the use of mobile phones the effects can be measured so that the necessary measures can be taken to protect the health of the hearing system.

Keywords

Main Subjects


  1. Kayabasoglu G, Sezen O, Eraslan G, Aydin E, Coskuner T, Unver S. Effect of chronic exposure to cellular telephone electromagnetic fields on hearing in rats. The Journal of Laryngology and Otology. 2011; 125(4):348-53. [DOI:10.1017/S0022215110002239] [PMID]
  2. Velmurugan MS. Environmental and health aspects of mobile phone production and use: Suggestions for innovation and policy. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. 2016; 21:69-79. [DOI:10.1016/j.eist.2016.04.002]
  3. Bhagat S, Varshney S, Bist SS, Goel D, Mishra S, Jha VK. Effects on auditory function of chronic exposure to electromagnetic fields from mobile phones. Ear, Nose, and Throat Journal. 2016; 95(8):18-22. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27551848/
  4. Davidson HC, Lutman ME. Survey of mobile phone use and their chronic effects on the hearing of a student population. International Journal of Audiology. 2007; 46(3):113-8. [DOI:10.1080/14992020600690472] [PMID]
  5. Mortazavi SAR, Tavakkoli-Golpayegani A, Haghani M, Mortazavi SMJ. Looking at the other side of the coin: The search for possible biopositive cognitive effects of the exposure to 900 MHz GSM mobile phone radiofrequency radiation. Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering. 2014; 12(1):75. [DOI:10.1186/2052-336X-12-75] [PMID] [PMCID]
  6. Medeiros LN, Sanchez TG. Tinnitus and cell phones: The role of electromagnetic radiofrequency radiation. Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology. 2016; 82(1):97-104. [DOI:10.1016/j.bjorl.2015.04.013] [PMID]
  7. D’Andrea JA, Ziriax JM, Adair ER. Radio frequency electromagnetic fields: Mild hyperthermia and safety standards. Progress in Brain Research. 2007; 162:107-35. [DOI:10.1016/S0079-6123(06)62007-4]
  8. Taurisano MD, Vorst AV. Experimental thermographic analysis of thermal effects induced on a human head exposed to 900-MHz fields of mobile phones. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. 2000; 48(11):2022-32. [DOI:10.1109/22.884191]
  9. Frey AH. Headaches from cellular telephones: Are they real and what are the implications? Environmental Health Perspectives. 1998; 106(3):101-3. [DOI:10.1289/ehp.98106101] [PMID] [PMCID]
  10. 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. Physics in Medicine and Biology. 1994; 39(10):1537-53. [DOI:10.1088/0031-9155/39/10/003] [PMID]
  11. Heynick LN, Johnston SA, Mason PA. Radio frequency electromagnetic fields: Cancer, mutagenesis, and genotoxicity. Bioelectromagnetics. 2003; 6:74-100. [DOI:10.1002/bem.10162] [PMID]
  12. Galeev A. [Effects of the microwave radiation from the cellular phones on humans and animals (Russian)]. 1998; 84(11):1293-302. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10204175/
  13. Galeev A. The effects of microwave radiation from mobile telephones on humans and animals. Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology. 2000; 30(2):187-94. [DOI:10.1007/BF02463157] [PMID]
  14. Hermann DM, Hossmann KA. Neurological effects of microwave exposure related to mobile communication. Journal of the Neurological Sciences. 1997; 152(1):1-14. [DOI:10.1016/S0022-510X(97)00140-8]
  15. Panda NK, Jain R, Bakshi J, Munjal S. Audiologic disturbances in long-term mobile phone users. Journal of Otolaryngology, Head, and Neck Surgery. 2010; 39(1):5-11. [PMID]
  16. Repacholi MH, Basten A, Gebski V, Noonan D, Finnie J, Harris AW. Lymphomas in Eμ-Pim1 transgenic mice exposed to pulsed 900 MHZ electromagnetic fields. Radiation Research. 1997; 147(5):631-40. [DOI:10.2307/3579630] [PMID]
  17. Çeliker M, Özgür A, Tümkaya L, Terzi S, Yılmaz M, Kalkan Y, et al. Effects of exposure to 2100 MHz GSM-like radiofrequency electromagnetic field on auditory system of rats. Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology. 2017; 83(6):691-6. [DOI:10.1016/j.bjorl.2016.10.004] [PMID]
  18. Kaprana AE, Chimona TS, Papadakis CE, Velegrakis SG, Vardiambasis IO, Adamidis G, et al. Auditory brainstem response changes during exposure to GSM-900 radiation: An experimental study. Audiology and Neurotology. 2011; 16(4):270-6. [DOI:10.1159/000321337] [PMID]
  19. Galloni P, Parazzini M, Piscitelli M, Pinto R, Lovisolo GA, Tognola G, et al. Electromagnetic fields from mobile phones do not affect the inner auditory system of Sprague-Dawley rats. Radiation Research. 2005; 164(6):798-804. [DOI:10.1667/RR3449.1] [PMID]
  20. Parazzini M, Lutman ME, Moulin A, Barnel C, Sliwinska-Kowalska M, Zmyslony M, et al. Absence of short-term effects of UMTS exposure on the human auditory system. Radiation Research. 2010; 173(1):91-7. [DOI:10.1667/RR1870.1] [PMID]
  21. Kwon MS, Huotilainen M, Shestakova A, Kujala T, Näätänen R, Hämäläinen H. No effects of mobile phone use on cortical auditory change-detection in children: An ERP study. Bioelectromagnetics. 2010; 31(3):191-9. [DOI:10.1002/bem.20546] [PMID]
  22. Kwon MS, Jääskeläinen SK, Toivo T, Hämäläinen H. No effects of mobile phone electromagnetic field on auditory brainstem response. Bioelectromagnetics. 2010; 31(1):48-55. [DOI:10.1002/bem.20526] [PMID]
  23. Stefanics G, Thuróczy G, Kellényi L, Hernádi I. Effects of twenty-minute 3G mobile phone irradiation on event related potential components and early gamma synchronization in auditory oddball paradigm. Neuroscience. 2008; 157(2):453-62. [DOI:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.08.066] [PMID]
  24. Mortazavi S, Ahmadi J, Shariati M. Prevalence of subjective poor health symptoms associated with exposure to electromagnetic fields among university students. Bioelectromagnetics. 2007; 28(4):326-30. [DOI:10.1002/bem.20305] [PMID]
  25. Maby E, Jeannes RLB, Liegeok-Chauvel C, Gourevitch B, Faucon G. Analysis of auditory evoked potential parameters in the presence of radiofrequency fields using a support vector machines method. Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing. 2004; 42(4):562-8. [DOI:10.1007/BF02351000] [PMID]
  26. Prajapati V, Makvana BJ, Gami G, Thakor N. Effect of chronic use of mobile phone on hearing of young adult age group: A case control study. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. 2017; 3(10):2664-8. [DOI:10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20150810]
  27. Gupta N, Goyal D, Sharma R, Arora KS. Effect of prolonged use of mobile phone on brainstem auditory evoked potentials. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research: JCDR. 2015; 9(5):CC07-9. [DOI:10.7860/JCDR/2015/13831.5976] [PMID] [PMCID]
  28. Stalin P, Abraham SB, Kanimozhy K, Prasad RV, Singh Z, Purty AJ. Mobile phone usage and its health effects among adults in a semi-urban area of southern India. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research: JCDR. 2016; 10(1):14-6. [DOI:10.7860/JCDR/2016/16576.7074] [PMID] [PMCID]
  29. Panda NK, Modi R, Munjal S, Virk RS. Auditory changes in mobile users: Is evidence forthcoming? Otolaryngology, Head, and Neck Surgery. 2011; 144(4):581-5. [DOI:10.1177/0194599810394953] [PMID]
  30. Hutter H-P, Moshammer H, Wallner P, Cartellieri M, Denk-Linnert D-M, Katzinger M, et al. Tinnitus and mobile phone use. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2010; 67(12):804-8. [DOI:10.1136/oem.2009.048116] [PMID]
  31. Sunny OD, Asoegwu CN, Abayomi SO. Subjective tinnitus and its association with use of ear phones among students of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Nigeria. International Tinnitus Journal. 2012; 17(2):169-72. [DOI:10.5935/0946-5448.20120030] [PMID]
  32. Küçer N, Pamukçu T. Self-reported symptoms associated with exposure to electromagnetic fields: A questionnaire study. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine. 2014; 33(1):15-7. [DOI:10.3109/15368378.2013.783847] [PMID]
  33. Redmayne M, Smith E, Abramson MJ. The relationship between adolescents’ well-being and their wireless phone use: A cross-sectional study. Environmental Health. 2013; 12(1):90. [DOI:10.1186/1476-069X-12-90] [PMID] [PMCID]
  34. Al-Dousary SH. Mobile phone induced sensorineural hearing loss. Saudi Medical Journal. 2007; 28(8):1283-6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17676220/
  35. Janssen T, Boege P, von Mikusch-Buchberg J, Raczek J. Investigation of potential effectsof cellular phones on human auditory function by means of distortion product otoacoustic emissions. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 2005; 117(3):1241-7. [DOI:10.1121/1.1854331] [PMID]
  36. Velayutham P, Govindasamy GK, Raman R, Prepageran N, Ng K. High-frequency hearing loss among mobile phone users. Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. 2014; 66(1):169-72. [DOI:10.1007/s12070-011-0406-4] [PMID] [PMCID]
  37. Oktay MF, Dasdag S. Effects of intensive and moderate cellular phone use on hearing function. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine. 2006; 25(1):13-21. [DOI:10.1080/15368370600572938] [PMID]
  38. Kerekhanjanarong V, Supiyaphun P, Naratricoon J, Laungpitackchumpon P. The effect of mobile phone to audiologic system. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand. 2005; 88:S231-4. [PMID]
  39. Singh K. Effect of electromagnetic waves emitted from mobile phone on brain stem auditory evoked potential in adult males. 2015; 59(4):402-6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27530007/
  40. Landgrebe M, Frick U, Hauser S, Hajak G, Langguth B. Association of tinnitus and electromagnetic hypersensitivity: Hints for a shared pathophysiology? PLoS One. 2009; 4(3):e5026. [DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0005026] [PMID] [PMCID]
  41. Meo SA, Al-Drees AM. Mobile phone related-hazards and subjective hearing and vision symptoms in the Saudi population. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health. 2005; 18(1):53-7. [PMID]
  42. Selvi EC, Kumar PS, Mariam Y. Assessment of auditory evoked potential in long term mobile phone users. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 2014; 58(4):437-40. [PMID]
  43. Khan M. Adverse effects of excessive mobile phone use. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health. 2008; 21(4):289-93. [DOI:10.2478/v10001-008-0028-6] [PMID]
  44. Frei P, Mohler E, Braun-Fahrländer C, Fröhlich J, Neubauer G, Röösli M. Cohort study on the effects of everyday life radio frequency electromagnetic field exposure on non-specific symptoms and tinnitus. Environment International. 2012; 38(1):29-36. [DOI:10.1016/j.envint.2011.08.002] [PMID]
  45. Bamiou DE, Ceranic B, Cox R, Watt H, Chadwick P, Luxon LM. Mobile telephone use effects on peripheral audiovestibular function: A case-control study. Bioelectromagnetics. 2008; 29(2):108-17. [DOI:10.1002/bem.20369] [PMID]
  46. Stefanics G, Kellényi L, Molnár F, Kubinyi G, Thuróczy G, Hernádi I. Short GSM mobile phone exposure does not alter human auditory brainstem response. BMC Public Health. 2007; 7(1):325. [DOI:10.1186/1471-2458-7-325] [PMID] [PMCID]
  47. Cinel C, Boldini A, Russo R, Fox E. Effects of mobile phone electromagnetic fields on an auditory order threshold task. Bioelectromagnetics. 2007; 28(6):493-6. [DOI:10.1002/bem.20321] [PMID]
  48. Sievert U, Eggert S, Goltz S, Pau H. Effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by cellular phone on auditory and vestibular labyrinth (German)]. Laryngorhinootologie. 2007; 86(4):264-70. [DOI:10.1055/s-2006-944769] [PMID]
  49. Paglialonga A, Tognola G, Parazzini M, Lutman ME, Bell SL, Thuroczy G, et al. Effects of mobile phone exposure on time frequency fine structure of transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 2007; 122(4):2174-82. [DOI:10.1121/1.2773944] [PMID]
  50. Parazzini M, Bell S, Thuroczy G, Molnar F, Tognola G, Lutman M, et al. Influence on the mechanisms of generation of distortion product otoacoustic emissions of mobile phone exposure. Hearing Research. 2005; 208(1-2):68-78. [DOI:10.1016/j.heares.2005.04.013] [PMID]
  51. Sievert U, Eggert S, Pau HW. Can mobile phone emissions affect auditory functions of cochlea or brain stem? Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. 2005; 132(3):451-5. [DOI:10.1016/j.otohns.2004.09.064] [PMID]
  52. Uloziene I, Uloza V, Gradauskiene E, Saferis V. Assessment of potential effects of the electromagnetic fields of mobile phones on hearing. BMC Public Health. 2005; 5(1):39. [DOI:10.1186/1471-2458-5-39] [PMID] [PMCID]
  53. Oysu C, Topak M, Celik O, Yilmaz HB, Sahin AA. Effects of the acute exposure to the electromagnetic field of mobile phones on human auditory brainstem responses. European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. 2005; 262(10):839-43. [DOI:10.1007/s00405-004-0900-3] [PMID]
  54. Monnery P, Srouji E, Bartlett J. Is cochlear outer hair cell function affected by mobile telephone radiation? Clinical Otolaryngology. 2004; 29(6):747-9. [DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2273.2004.00877.x] [PMID]
  55. Arai N, Enomoto H, Okabe S, Yuasa K, Kamimura Y, Ugawa Y. Thirty minutes mobile phone use has no short-term adverse effectson central auditory pathways. Clinical Neurophysiology. 2003; 114(8):1390-4. [DOI:10.1016/S1388-2457(03)00124-X]
  56. Ozturan O, Erdem T, Miman MC, Kalcioglu MT, Oncel Sh. Effects of the electromagnetic field of mobile telephones on hearing. Acta Oto-laryngologica. 2002; 122(3):289-93. [DOI:10.1080/000164802753648178] [PMID]
  57. Youssef M, Mansour T, Abdelsalam HA. The relationship between mobile phone use and ear Problems among medical students. Biomedical Research. 2016; 27(4):1251-4. https://www.alliedacademies.org/articles/the-relationship-between-mobile-phone-use-and-ear-problems-among-medical-students.htm
Volume 10, Issue 2
Summer
May and June 2021
Pages 372-383
  • Receive Date: 16 October 2019
  • Revise Date: 13 November 2019
  • Accept Date: 26 January 2020
  • First Publish Date: 22 May 2021