Military aircrew and noise-induced hearing loss: prevention and management.
Modern-day high performance aircraft are more powerful, more efficient, and, unfortunately, frequently produce high noise levels, resulting in noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in military aircrew. Military pilots are required to perform many flight duties correctly in the midst of many challenges that may affect mission completion as well as aircraft and aircrew safety. NIHL can interfere with successful mission completion. NIHL may also require aircrew to be downgraded from flying duties, with the incumbent re-training costs for downgraded personnel and training costs for new/replacement aircrew. As it is not possible to control the source of the noise without compromising the efficiency of the engine and aircraft, protecting the aircrew from hazards of excessive noise and treating NIHL are of extreme importance. In this article we discuss various personal hearing protection devices and their efficacy, and pharmacological agents for prevention and management of NIHL.
Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Bangalore, India. renurajguru@yahoo.com
Renu
R
Rajguru
D000108:Acetylcarnitine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000401:Aircraft; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001393:Azoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003401:Creatine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004430:Ear Protective Devices; D004867:Equipment Design; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000502:physiology; D006260:Head Protective Devices; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D054833:Isoindoles; D008274:Magnesium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008715:Methionine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008889:Military Personnel; D050997:Nanomedicine; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012038:Regeneration; D000077185:Resveratrol; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D001393:Azoles; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D054833:Isoindoles; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds; D013267:Stilbenes; D014815:Vitamins; C042986:ebselen; D000108:Acetylcarnitine; D008715:Methionine; D008274:Magnesium; D003401:Creatine; D020156:Salicylic Acid; D000077185:Resveratrol; D000111:Acetylcysteine