Hearing Loss and Irritability Reporting Without Vestibular Differences in Explosive Breaching Professionals
Background: Blast exposure is a potential hazard in modern military operations and training, especially for some military occupations. Helmets, peripheral armor, hearing protection, and eye protection worn by military personnel provide some acute protection from blast effects but may not fully prote...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-12-01
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Series: | Frontiers in Neurology |
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Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2020.588377/full |
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doaj-f24f57a8fa1f4267ab0da625794ec6b6 |
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record_format |
Article |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Claire M. Modica Brian R. Johnson Christopher Zalewski Kelly King Carmen Brewer John E. King Angela M. Yarnell Matthew L. LoPresti Peter B. Walker Kristine C. Dell Kristine C. Dell Elena Polejaeva Elena Polejaeva Alycia Quick Alycia Quick Alycia Quick Bobby Arnold Bobby Arnold Bobby Arnold Eric M. Wassermann James R. Stone Stephen T. Ahlers Walter Carr Walter Carr |
spellingShingle |
Claire M. Modica Brian R. Johnson Christopher Zalewski Kelly King Carmen Brewer John E. King Angela M. Yarnell Matthew L. LoPresti Peter B. Walker Kristine C. Dell Kristine C. Dell Elena Polejaeva Elena Polejaeva Alycia Quick Alycia Quick Alycia Quick Bobby Arnold Bobby Arnold Bobby Arnold Eric M. Wassermann James R. Stone Stephen T. Ahlers Walter Carr Walter Carr Hearing Loss and Irritability Reporting Without Vestibular Differences in Explosive Breaching Professionals Frontiers in Neurology hearing loss blast overpressure symptom reporting career breaching vestibular |
author_facet |
Claire M. Modica Brian R. Johnson Christopher Zalewski Kelly King Carmen Brewer John E. King Angela M. Yarnell Matthew L. LoPresti Peter B. Walker Kristine C. Dell Kristine C. Dell Elena Polejaeva Elena Polejaeva Alycia Quick Alycia Quick Alycia Quick Bobby Arnold Bobby Arnold Bobby Arnold Eric M. Wassermann James R. Stone Stephen T. Ahlers Walter Carr Walter Carr |
author_sort |
Claire M. Modica |
title |
Hearing Loss and Irritability Reporting Without Vestibular Differences in Explosive Breaching Professionals |
title_short |
Hearing Loss and Irritability Reporting Without Vestibular Differences in Explosive Breaching Professionals |
title_full |
Hearing Loss and Irritability Reporting Without Vestibular Differences in Explosive Breaching Professionals |
title_fullStr |
Hearing Loss and Irritability Reporting Without Vestibular Differences in Explosive Breaching Professionals |
title_full_unstemmed |
Hearing Loss and Irritability Reporting Without Vestibular Differences in Explosive Breaching Professionals |
title_sort |
hearing loss and irritability reporting without vestibular differences in explosive breaching professionals |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Neurology |
issn |
1664-2295 |
publishDate |
2020-12-01 |
description |
Background: Blast exposure is a potential hazard in modern military operations and training, especially for some military occupations. Helmets, peripheral armor, hearing protection, and eye protection worn by military personnel provide some acute protection from blast effects but may not fully protect personnel against cumulative effects of repeated blast overpressure waves experienced over a career. The current study aimed to characterize the long-term outcomes of repeated exposure to primary blast overpressure in experienced career operators with an emphasis on the assessment of hearing and vestibular outcomes.Methods: Participants included experienced “breachers” (military and law enforcement explosives professionals who gain entry into structures through controlled detonation of charges) and similarly aged and experienced “non-breachers” (non-breaching military and law enforcement personnel). Responses to a clinical interview and performance on audiological and vestibular testing were compared.Results: Hearing loss, ringing in the ears, irritability, and sensitivity to light or noise were more common among breachers than non-breachers. Breachers reported more combat exposure than non-breachers, and subsequently, memory loss and difficulty concentrating were associated with both breaching and combat exposure. Vestibular and ocular motor outcomes were not different between breachers and non-breachers.Conclusion: Hearing-related, irritability, and sensitivity outcomes are associated with a career in breaching. Future studies examining long-term effects of blast exposure should take measures to control for combat exposure. |
topic |
hearing loss blast overpressure symptom reporting career breaching vestibular |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2020.588377/full |
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doaj-f24f57a8fa1f4267ab0da625794ec6b62020-12-16T05:37:14ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neurology1664-22952020-12-011110.3389/fneur.2020.588377588377Hearing Loss and Irritability Reporting Without Vestibular Differences in Explosive Breaching ProfessionalsClaire M. Modica0Brian R. Johnson1Christopher Zalewski2Kelly King3Carmen Brewer4John E. King5Angela M. Yarnell6Matthew L. LoPresti7Peter B. Walker8Kristine C. Dell9Kristine C. Dell10Elena Polejaeva11Elena Polejaeva12Alycia Quick13Alycia Quick14Alycia Quick15Bobby Arnold16Bobby Arnold17Bobby Arnold18Eric M. Wassermann19James R. Stone20Stephen T. Ahlers21Walter Carr22Walter Carr23Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United StatesWalter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United StatesAudiology Unit, Otolaryngology Branch, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United StatesAudiology Unit, Otolaryngology Branch, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United StatesAudiology Unit, Otolaryngology Branch, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United StatesIndependent Researcher, Bethesda, MD, United StatesMilitary Emergency Medicine Department, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, United StatesWalter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United StatesDoD Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, Washington, DC, United StatesBehavioral Neurology Unit, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, United StatesDepartment of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, PA, United StatesBehavioral Neurology Unit, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, United StatesDepartment of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesBehavioral Neurology Unit, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, United States0School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom1The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc., Bethesda, MD, United StatesNaval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United StatesBehavioral Neurology Unit, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, United States1The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc., Bethesda, MD, United StatesBehavioral Neurology Unit, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, United States2Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United StatesNaval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD, United StatesWalter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States3Oak Ridge Research Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United StatesBackground: Blast exposure is a potential hazard in modern military operations and training, especially for some military occupations. Helmets, peripheral armor, hearing protection, and eye protection worn by military personnel provide some acute protection from blast effects but may not fully protect personnel against cumulative effects of repeated blast overpressure waves experienced over a career. The current study aimed to characterize the long-term outcomes of repeated exposure to primary blast overpressure in experienced career operators with an emphasis on the assessment of hearing and vestibular outcomes.Methods: Participants included experienced “breachers” (military and law enforcement explosives professionals who gain entry into structures through controlled detonation of charges) and similarly aged and experienced “non-breachers” (non-breaching military and law enforcement personnel). Responses to a clinical interview and performance on audiological and vestibular testing were compared.Results: Hearing loss, ringing in the ears, irritability, and sensitivity to light or noise were more common among breachers than non-breachers. Breachers reported more combat exposure than non-breachers, and subsequently, memory loss and difficulty concentrating were associated with both breaching and combat exposure. Vestibular and ocular motor outcomes were not different between breachers and non-breachers.Conclusion: Hearing-related, irritability, and sensitivity outcomes are associated with a career in breaching. Future studies examining long-term effects of blast exposure should take measures to control for combat exposure.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2020.588377/fullhearing lossblast overpressuresymptom reportingcareer breachingvestibular |