A pilot study of changes in otoacoustic emissions after exposure to live music

The objectives of this investigation were to document typical sound exposure levels at concerts and to relate them to measurable changes on hearing. Changes in the auditory function of human subjects were measured using Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE) and Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAE). Sound exposure was measured using a Behind the Ear Hearing aid (BTE) modified to log equivalent levels. The main observations from this study are: There are measurable changes in the auditory function after attendance to a single concert; The DPOAE measurements were more robust to background noise than the TEOAE measurements and may therefore be better suited for field assessments; The estimated exposure levels cannot predict the changes observed in the OAE measurements.