Effects of the electromagnetic field of mobile telephones on hearing

Ozturan O, Erdem T, Miman MC, Kalcioglu MT, Oncel S.

Acta Otolaryngol. 122(3):289-293, 2002

The widespread use of mobile telephones has given rise to concern about the potential influences of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on human health.

Anatomically, the ear is in close proximity to the mobile telephone during use. Hearing loss due to mobile telephone use has not been described in the medical literature; however, if there is a subtle cochlear involvement, it might be detected by means of changes in evoked otoacoustic emissions (OAEs).

Thirty volunteers with normal hearing were exposed to mobile telephone EMFs for 10 min and evoked OAEs were measured before and after exposure.

No measurable change in evoked OAEs was detected and none of the subjects reported a deterioration in hearing level. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the effects of EMFs emitted by mobile telephones on hearing. It was concluded that a 10-min exposure to the EMF emitted from a mobile telephone had no effect on hearing, at least at outer ear, middle ear and cochlear levels.