There is a lot of information available concerning headphones and whether headphones can impair hearing. Everyone wants to know if headphones really do cause hearing loss.
They frequently ask questions such as:
- How fast headphones can impair hearing
- What is the limit of how loud is too loud
- Are certain headphones better than others
In other words, people want to know what the fuss is all about and how far they can push the limits.
The fact is that headphones, which are more common than ever, can cause significant harm to the ears, eventually leading to noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss over time.
Data reveals the truth. It’s not simply something we tell our teenagers to get them to take off their headphones and listen to us! Hearing loss among teens has increased by about 30% during the 1990s. Experts believe that the regular use of headphones, especially earbuds, is to blame.
How headphones can impair hearing?
Here are some of the ways headphones can impair hearing loss in people of all ages:
Most people are fully aware that loud noises may harm their ears. And repeated exposure to such loud noises can cause more and more damage over time – no one denies this fact.
While the inner ears are constantly processing sounds from headphones, frequently for hours on end, they cannot rest, and, similarly to how the body’s muscles to fatigue out with prolonged usage, so do our ears. The fine hairs in the inner ear that transmit sound to the brain ultimately tire out and stop working. They burn out, and they never recover. In other words, long-term usage of headphones might result in irreversible hearing loss. And many individuals do not think that hearing loss is permanent.
The misconception that headphones aren’t dangerous likely continues because some people believe that because they choose to listen to pleasurable sounds – music is candy for our brains, basically – the noises can’t possibly be harmful.
Unfortunately, just as too much actual sugar can cause tooth decay, too much noisy candy for our ears can cause ear rotting.
While the ears are smart, they are not able to distinguish between good and harmful noises. Noise is just noise to the inner workings of the human ear. Music, whether by The Beatles, Metallica, Garth Brooks, or Lady Gaga, can damage your hearing if it is played too loudly, too close to the ears, or for too long.
How Much Is Too Much?
Does your smartphone ever warn you not to exceed a particular volume level when you crank up the volume with your headphones plugged in? Pay attention to your phone! It’s smart and knows what it’s talking about. Most devices can reach a maximum of 120 dB, which is considerably beyond the sound that causes minor harm at 85 decibels. So, if you’re listening to Van Halen at full tilt, you’re going over and beyond what’s good for you (even if you probably feel quite good).
According to healthcare experts, hearing health is an essential component of overall wellness. And it is for this reason, headphones cause a serious health risk. This is especially because they are widespread (headphones are easy to get a hold of). What you can do about it is the actual question. Researchers have given some steps to follow to make headphones a little safer to use:
Don’t turn them up so loud. The World Health Organization advises that you keep your headphones at a maximum loudness of 85dB. To put things in perspective, a normal discussion has a loudness of around 60dB. Sadly, most mobile devices do not calculate output in decibels. So check your headphones’ maximum output or keep the volume at half or less.
Restrict age. Headphones are increasingly being worn by younger and younger individuals these days. And it would be a good idea to cut back a little on that, reducing the amount of time younger children spend using headphones. If you can avoid some damage when you are younger, hearing loss will not occur as quickly.
Pay attention to volume warnings. You probably listen to music on your mobile device. And most mobile devices have built-in warnings when you start turning up the volume too high. These precautions should be followed as much as possible for your ear health.
Take breaks. It’s difficult not to turn up the volume while you’re jamming out to music you enjoy. That’s very understandable. However, you should take some time to enable your hearing to recover. Try to take a five-minute break from your headphones every now and again. The idea is to give your hearing some time each day with lower volumes. Similarly, monitoring (and limiting) your headphones use will help keep moderate levels from harming your ears.
If you are worried about the future, you should try to reduce your usage of headphones completely.
5 Myths about the dangers of headphones
Myth 1: Using headphones to listen to music causes hearing loss
This statement’s distributors rely on Robert Novak’s research. He discovered that some people who wear headphones suffer from hearing loss. Journalists decided to emphasize this fact, claiming that using headphones causes individuals to lose their hearing. However, hearing problems appear only when listening to music at a volume that regularly exceeds the permissible level.
Myth 2: In-ear headphones can cause deafness
It’s only that the sound has to be a little quieter while using these types of headphones. The impact of ear pressure and the size of the device are inversely proportional. The exposure level of on-ear and over-ear headphones is 9 dB lower. This is something to think about if you want to prevent hearing problems.
Myth 3: In-ear headphones contribute to the formation of ear diseases, especially fungal infections
In reality, a device of this type cannot be the source of infection. After all, it requires a nutrient medium, which the headphones lack. Ear lesions are more harmful if you have a weak immune system or if you’ve been exposed to microtrauma.
According to a study, headphone usage does not cause infection.
Myth4: Using headphones reduces intelligence
An absurd claim with no supporting evidence. Any sound source may drive you crazy from this point of view. On the contrary, listening to music provides a person with the necessary feelings and some solitude.
Myth 5: Regular use of headphones causes hearing loss
Long-term daily usage of headphones can cause hearing problems. However, this is not always the situation and is dependent on the user’s awareness. Many people, such as dispatchers and sound engineers, wear headphones because of the nature of their jobs. Moreover, the usage time exceeds the recommended 4 hours. However, this does not mean that such occupations are more vulnerable to hearing problems than others.
The Bottom Line
Because hair cells can not regrow after being destroyed, any harm done to them now will be with you for the rest of your life. So be careful of how loud you play your music and how long you listen to it because what you do can have a long-term impact on your hearing.
