Earbud Use Could Harm Your Hearing 

Headphones and earbuds seem like they are a standard part of our modern life. We can listen to the sounds we want to hear, while walking, jogging, working, or commuting. Since the introduction of the Sony Walkman in 1979, we as a culture have been obsessed with the individuality and freedom which personal listening devices provide. These devices have come a long way from portable cassette players. Today most people carry a smartphone with them which doubles as a listening device, able to stream a seemingly endless cache of music and media. With the availability and the ceaseless number of media available, the risks which have been long underplayed only become steeper for us as a culture.

Headphones and earbuds, which fit inside the ear, for a more streamlined and portable feel, can take us to other places and other states of being- but they come with a risk. They can deliver decibels loud enough to cause permanent hearing damage!

The Danger of Earbuds

The volume of sound is measured in decibels. Below a safe threshold, we can listen to sound indefinitely. A normal conversation registers around 60 dBA. However, as the decibels rise past safe listening levels, they can cause vibrations loud enough to shatter, damage and destroy the tiny hair-like cells of the inner ear. These cells, called stereocilia, are the sole transport of sound from the ears to the brain. earbuds fit directly inside the ear canal, with the potential to deliver decibels high enough to cause damage in moments. However due to the wide array of choices and endless streaming people on average listen for hours on end – especially a younger generation who may not have the foresight to see how their choices now can affect them later in life. Between 1994 and 2005, with the rise of the iPod, the use of earbuds increased by 75%. It is estimated half of the people who use them set their volume at unsafe levels.

How Loud is Too Loud

The threshold for safe listening ends at 85 dBA. Our ears can withstand this level of noise consistently for 8 hours, before the damage begins. However, as the decibels rise, the time it takes for damage to occur shrinks significantly. For every three increments of decibels increased, the time it takes for damage to occur is cut in half. At 88 dBA, it takes four hours of consistent exposure for your ears to become damaged. By the time sounds reach 95 dBA it takes under an hour and at 105 dBA, it can take less than 15 minutes! At the average maximum listening level for earbuds, of 110 dB it can take less than a minute Sadly due to earbud uses, it’s estimated that 20% of teenagers have measurable hearing loss in one or both ears.

The Impact on a New Generation

Hearing loss is a condition generally associated with old age, however this is not always the case. Hearing loss in younger adults and children is more severe because its effects often can cause barriers in education and employment. For an older generation which is facing retirement the challenges remain as it affects cognitive performance but for those still in the workforce, it presents issues with keeping jobs and excelling in them. Issues in communication due to a hearing loss can lead to strains on relationships throughout a person’s life, self-isolation, listening fatigue, cognitive decline, chronic depression and a higher risk of accidents.

Listening Safely

Earbuds are most likely not going anywhere and just because they pose a threat to hearing, doesn’t mean you can’t listen safely. The first rule in listening safely with earbuds and headphones is the rule of 6, meaning, do not turn up the volume on your listening device past 60% of its volume’s potential.

Take Listening Breaks

The longer we listen the more strain it is on the hair cells of our inner ear. Take breaks to give these important and irreplaceable cells to get a break. If you listen at 95 dBA for 30 minutes, it minimizes the risk to your inner ear significantly.

Don’t Turn Music Up, Turn Noise Down

We listen to our headphones often around others to slip into our own world so we can focus and check out a bit. This makes it tempting to turn up the volume to cancel out other sounds. However, noise is conglomerative and you risk reaching levels loud enough to cause serious damage. When you can turn off distracting sounds rather than trying to block them out by pumping up the volume.

In addition, you may benefit from investing in noise canceling headphones. These amazing and innovative devices detect and actively cancel out ambient noise in your environment so you are not tempted as much to turn up the volume.

To find out more about how you can protect your hearing, don’t hesitate to contact us for a hearing consultation today!