Cigarette smoking as a risk factor for auditory problems.

UNLABELLED Smoking is a public health concern and we are still unsure of its relation with auditory problems. AIM To study the effects of cigarette smoking in auditory thresholds, in otoacoustic emissions and in their inhibition by the efferent olivocochlear medial system. MATERIALS AND METHODS 144 adults from both genders, between 20 and 31 years of age, smoking and non-smoking individuals were submitted to conventional and high-frequency audiometry, transient stimuli otoacoustic emissions and suppression effect investigation. RESULTS smokers presented worse auditory thresholds in the frequencies of 12.500Hz in the right ear and 14,000 kHz in both ears. Regarding the otoacoustic emissions, smokers group presented a lower response level in the frequencies of 1,000Hz in both ears and 4,000Hz in the left ear. Among smokers there were more cases of cochlear dysfunction and tinnitus. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that cigarette smoking has an adverse effect on the auditory system.