Pulsed magnetic stimulation in combination with pneumomassage in the therapy of patients with professional sensorineural hearing loss

Introduction. There are many methods for treating sensorineural hearing loss (SHL) of the occupational origin, which indicates insufficient effectiveness and an active search for more advanced therapy methods. 

Objective of the study: to evaluate changes in the state of the central nervous system pathways under the influence of a magnetic field and the long-term period.

Materials and Methods. There were treated fifty two aviation workers with SHL of the occupational origin with moderate hearing loss. Pulsed magnetic stimulation (MS) and pneumatic massage of the tympanic membrane were used. Before and after treatment, electroencephalography was performed with the registration of visual and auditory evoked potentials (EP), somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP), psychological testing, and the study of higher mental functions in terms of short-term and delayed verbal memory, attention function.

Results. After treatment, there was an improvement in speech intelligibility in 62% of cases, a decrease in the intensity of the tinnitus and head noise in 44% of cases, there was an improvement in the indicators of audiometric research and acumetry data from both sides. There was a statistically significant increase in the α-rhythm, the time of the pulse passing through the central afferent structures increased, the indicators of operative verbal memory, and the productivity of long-term memorization, the volume and stability of attention increased.

Conclusion. The effectiveness of pulse MS in treating patients with occupational SHL has been proven. The prospects of using pulsed MS in combination with pneumatic massage in occupational pathology were shown, which was confirmed by positive changes in objective and subjective indicators characterizing the condition of patients immediately after the therapy sessions and a year after treatment.

Contribution:

Tikhonova I.V., Rusаnova D.V. — research concept and design, material collection and processing, text writing, editing;

Kuleshova M.V., Katamanova E.V. — collecting and processing material, writing text, editing;

Lakhman О.L., Pankov V.A. — research concept and design, editing.

All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.  This work was carried out within the framework of state assignment.

Conclusion of the ethical committee of the East Siberian Institute of Medical and Environmental Research: the publication of the article was approved on the basis that the studies were performed in accordance with the developed protocols, the principles set forth in the Helsinki Declaration on Medical Research in Human, International Harmonized Tripartite Rules of Good Clinical Practice, National Standard of the Russian Federation “Good Clinical Practice”, Good Pharmacoepidemiological Practice (GPP), Good Epidemiological Practice (GEP) are in line with standard operating procedures: research does not infringe upon the rights or endanger the well-being of research subjects; the risk for research subjects is minimized, all possibilities are taken into account to guarantee their safety; the risk to research subjects does not exceed the expected benefit and scientific value.

Received: October 1, 2021 / Accepted: November 25, 2021 / Published: December 30, 2021