Impact of Strong Sound of Starting Guns on the Hearing Loss of Track and Field Athletes Based on Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potential

Abstract

To explore the impact of the sound of starting guns on the hearing of track referees (starters); to measure and study the noise characteristics of the muzzle and ear when track referees issue the order. The survey, ear routine examination, pure tone audiometry and brainstem auditory evoked potential were applied to conduct the audiometric test analysis and auditory function test on 20 sports college students (40 ears) and 10 college teachers (20 ears) engaged in the starting work in different time period before and after (before starting, 3h and 8d after starting) the starting (instantaneous strong noise). Under the noise intensity of 158~156 dB(Lp), the pure tone average threshold, high pure tone average threshold and I wave latency of BAEP of left and right ears 3h after the starting were significantly higher than those before the start (P<0.01). After 8 days, it gradually returns to the level before the starting. The auditory condition of teachers who regularly engage in the starting work is significantly different from that of ordinary people (P<0.01). For those who are exposed to the high-intensity noise of the starting gun for the first time, it may cause the reversible recoverable damage of hair cells of the ear and temporary threshold shift.