Pienkowski · International journal of environmental research and public health 2021 · narrative review · n=?

Loud Music and Leisure Noise Is a Common Cause of Chronic Hearing Loss, Tinnitus and Hyperacusis.

Cited 77 times in the scientific literature.

Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data

Narrative review without systematic search methodology or primary human trial data

PubMed 33923580 · doi:10.3390/ijerph18084236 · record verified 2026-08-26

What was done

This review summarized literature examining how high sound levels from leisure environments (such as concert halls, nightclubs, and sports stadiums) and loud music contribute to noise-induced hearing loss, tinnitus, and hyperacusis.

What was found

The abstract reports no quantitative metrics, effect sizes, or numerical data. It notes qualitatively that loud music and leisure noise are common causes of chronic hearing damage, tinnitus, and hyperacusis, and that such injury can be present even when standard audiometric thresholds remain within clinically normal limits.

Why it matters

It emphasizes that recreational sound exposure is a major, preventable contributor to auditory pathology beyond traditional industrial and military settings, supporting calls for wider noise regulations and public education.

Limits

The abstract describes a narrative review rather than a systematic review or meta-analysis. It provides no specific study count, sample sizes, exposure thresholds, duration metrics, or assessment of bias in the underlying literature.

Cited by