Tehran University of Medical Sciences Auditory and Vestibular Research 2423-480X 0 0 2026 09 26 1538 1538 Kruthika Shankar Assistant Professor, Department of Audiology, JSS Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore, India Sandra Nandakumar sandranandakumar36@gmail.com Kamalakannan Karupaiah Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru, India Bhuvaneswari Kumaar Faculty, Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Holy Cross College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli, India. Sundaresan Ramachandran Faculty, Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Holy Cross College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli, India. Prashanth Prabhu Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru, India 2026 01 28 2026 09 16 Background and Aim: Excessive sound exposure can damage the auditory system and, if left undetected, can progress to permanent noise-induced hearing loss. Extended High-Frequency Audiometry (EHFA) and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAEs) can detect subtle cochlear changes earlier than conventional audiological measures. This study examined the effect of short-term personal listening device (PLD) use duration on hearing sensitivity using EHFA and DPOAEs. Methods: One hundred female college students (18–25 years) were grouped based on daily PLD use into 5 categories (1–2, 2–3, 3–4, 4–5, and 5–6 hours). Participants had no history of otological disorders or industrial noise exposure. EHFA and DPOAE assessments were performed. Exposure group differences were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test with post hoc comparisons. Results: PLD use duration significantly affected extended high-frequency thresholds and DPOAE amplitudes. Post hoc analysis showed threshold elevations of 16–40 dB HL at 9–16 kHz in the right ear after 1–2 hours of daily use and 16–25 dB HL at 8–16 kHz in the left ear after 4–5 hours (medium-to-large effect sizes). DPOAE amplitudes differed across durations from 356–5645 Hz (right ear) and 498–5645 Hz (left ear), with a few high-frequency reductions of <6 dB SPL after 3–4 hours of exposure. Conclusion: Prolonged PLD use adversely affects extended high-frequency hearing sensitivity, whereas DPOAEs show limited sensitivity to early cochlear alterations. EHFA may be a valuable tool for detecting early recreational noise-induced auditory changes. https://avr.tums.ac.ir/index.php/avr/article/view/1538 https://avr.tums.ac.ir/index.php/avr/article/download/1538/705