Temporary threshold shifts from attendance at a rock concert

Abstract

The relation between exposure level and hearing loss in rock concert attendees was studied. Six volunteer subjects, ages 16–44, participated. All except the 44‐year‐old had normal hearing sensitivity, as revealed by audiometric evaluations made immediately before the concert. They attended a Bruce Springsteen concert at the St. Louis Arena and returned to CID for another hearing test within 30 min following the concert. Noise exposure was assessed by having two subjects, seated at different locations in the arena, wear calibrated dosimeters during the event. Sixteen hours after the concert all subjects returned for a final audiometric evaluation. Results indicated that the average exposure level was 100–100.6 dBA during the 412‐h concert. Five of the six attendees had significant threshold shifts (< 50 dB) predominately in the 4‐kHz region. Measures made 16 h after the concert and thereafter indicated that hearing returned to normal in all subjects. Although no PTS was observed, comparison of these data with studies of hearing loss and cochlear damage in animal models suggests that these subjects may have sustained some sensory cell loss from this exposure. [Work supported by NIOSH and NINCDS.]