Fluctuation in Hearing Thresholds Related to the Pre-Menstrual and Post-Menstrual Periods

Inner ear homeostasis and auditory functioning are impacted by the variations in hormone concentrations during the various menstrual cycle phases. Hormone fluctuations alter hearing thresholds by influencing higher sections of auditory processing. (Hampson, 1990). To Method: identify the hearing threshold variation during the pre-menstrual and postmenstrual period, 40 healthy female subjects in the age group of 18-25 years with regular menstrual cycles were enrolled for the study. Result: In the current study from the results obtained the mean score indicates that the hearing thresholds of both conventional pure tone audiometry and extended high frequency audiometry are poorer in all frequencies during the premenstrual period and were better in the postmenstrual period. It is evident that there is a relat Conclusion: ionship between the fluctuations of hormones during the various phases of the menstrual cycle and hearing sensitivity because the mean hearing thresholds are better during the postmenstrual period, when estrogen levels are higher, and they are comparatively lower during the premenstrual period.