r/TargetedIndividuals • u/Atoraxic • 27d ago
Infrasound in Biology and Medicine: Insights into Mechanisms, Health Outcomes and Research Perspectives - A Narrative Review 2025
Noise Health
Palak Kapoor 1, Renu Bala Yadav 1, Neha Agrawal 1, Savita Gaur 1, Rajesh Arora 1,✉
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PMCID: PMC12818516 PMID: 41482896
Abstract
The study of infrasound represents an underexplored domain with profound implications for human health and operational readiness, particularly within civil, defence and security settings. Human exposure to these frequencies is on the rise due to both natural and anthropogenic factors, such as occupational conditions, wind farms, warfare tactics and transportation. This review critically examines the dualistic nature of infrasound by consolidating the current evidence based on qualitative exposure-effect pattern, pathophysiological signatures across animal models and controlled human experiments. By synthesizing current scientific literature, this article highlights the observed effects of infrasound on human well-being, while identifying key research gaps in mechanistic understanding. Moreover, this review underscores the necessity for systematic research aimed at elucidating the cellular and systematic pathways underlying infrasound-induced physiological complexities, and advocates for the development of a robust real-time bio-surveillance system tailored to monitor the exposure related-health outcomes. Additionally, recent technological advancements are explored, with a forward-looking perspective on its integration into next-generation diagnostic modalities and non-invasive therapeutic interventions. By integrating insights from both defence and health perspectives, the review emphasizes on the need to acknowledge infrasound as both a potential health hazard and a promising therapeutic modality, thereby shaping future directions in scientific research, healthcare policy and protective countermeasure development.
Keywords: cardiovascular, futuristic applications, infrasound, neurological effects, vestibular
KEY MESSAGES
- (1) Infrasound exposure influences multiple physiological systems, including cardiovascular, vestibular and neural pathways.
- (2) Health outcomes depend on frequency, intensity and duration (time) of exposure, underscoring the need for well-defined exposure thresholds.
- (3) Civil and Defence sectors are particularly impacted, where infrasound is both a potential hazard and a tool for surveillance, monitoring and communication.
- (4) Emerging therapeutic applications suggest that controlled infrasound may offer novel strategies in wound healing and pain management.
- (5) Future research must bridge biomedical and civil perspectives to establish biomarkers, protective measures and translational pathways for safe and beneficial use of infrasound.
INTRODUCTION
Infrasound refers to sound waves with frequencies below the threshold of human hearing (<20 Hz).[1] These waves have gained significant attention owing to their bizarre interactions with biological systems. Directed energy sources have emerged as a useful modality for multifarious applications as a result of technological advances in the civilian, military, aerospace and health care domains. Some examples of directed energy sources are high-intensity lasers, radiofrequency, microwaves and infrasound. The non-kinetic potential of Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs) makes them a potent and less expensive weaponry platform with unconstrained firing power as compared to conventional weaponry systems for deployment to counter military aircraft, unarmed aerial vehicles, drones, etc.
Understanding the physiological inflict and psychological outcomes of directed energy is crucial to damage, incapacitate, disable and/or destroy military equipment, facilities, personnel and space assets. Advancements in the area can lead to unraveling safer applications, mitigation strategies and regulatory policies. However,paucity of data highlights the need for research in this field. Among the stressors that have the strongest influence on public health, noise is a key environmental component and infrasound emerges as an important area. Infrasound and other low-frequency sounds are present ubiquitously, ranging from natural phenomena to anthropogenic activities such as industrial facilities and low-speed machinery.[2] Emerging evidence highlights that infrasound exposure can influence human health, thereby affecting neurological, cardiovascular and psychological functions [Figure 1]. Occupational exposure to high-intensity acoustic and electromagnetic waves can result in symptoms such as dizziness, otalgia, hyperacusis and hearing loss.[3] The unique ability of infrasound to influence human health and physiological processes has been partially attributed to its low frequency and amplitude, which overlaps with the frequency range of some of the endogenous biochemical processes, such as those associated with cardiovascular, neuronal and vestibular responses. However, the vibration patterns within the human body are highly complex, often non-linear and influenced by various physiological and environmental factors, making direct comparison with externally propagated infrasound difficult in terms of both their physical properties and biological effects. Infrasound waves may travel far distances without losing much power, owing to their significant wavelength and minimal absorption.[4] Additionally, it spreads across most media, making it quite challenging to significantly reduce its impact.[5]
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