Infrasound in Biology and Medicine: Insights into Mechanisms, Health Outcomes and Research Perspectives - A Narrative Review.

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.