How to Prevent Hearing Loss From Headphones or Earbuds
People use headphones to listen to music and podcasts while commuting to work or school, exercising, cleaning, or when living with noisy roommates. However, some studies have shown that headphone use can cause permanent hearing loss, and 1.1 billion people worldwide are at risk of experiencing hearing loss due to misuse of these products.
A motorcycle engine or power tool can create a sound of 100 decibels, and earbuds at their full volume can reach this same level of sound. This level of sound can damage someone’s ears after less than half an hour.
How Do Earbuds Cause Hearing Loss?
Any ENT doctor in Los Angeles will tell you that earbuds and headphones funnel music straight through the ear canal. When you are listening to low-quality headphones, they tend to transmit base poorly and fail to block out outside noise. This often causes the listener to turn up the volume, which damages the ear by overwhelming the cilia.
Cilia are the little hairs in the ear that transmit electrical signals to the brain, allowing the ear to process sound. Loud noises can damage these hairs, and that damage eventually causes them to die. Hearing loss from loud noise is called “noise-induced hearing loss” (NIHL), and this is a growing condition among young people.
If you’ve ever finished working with loud machinery and left a concert, you may have felt an odd feeling in your ears that goes away after a while. This may be a high-pitched ringing, which is basically your cilia screaming in pain.
Signs you may have hearing loss are:
- Ringing, buzzing, or roaring in your ears
- Muffling or distorted sounds
How to Prevent Hearing Loss From Headphones
Outside-the-ear headphones are better for your ears than earbuds because earbuds send music directly into the ear canal and to the cilia. Headphones provide somewhat of a buffer between the music and the ear canal.
It’s even better for your hearing to invest in high-quality headphones that block out outside noise and transmit bass efficiently. This leads to a better listening experience and keeps the listener from hiking up the volume.
Hearing doctors in Los Angeles usually recommend the 60%/60-minute rule, which means you listen to music at no more than 60% volume for less than 60 minutes.
What to Do if You Are Experiencing Hearing Loss From Headphones
If you suffer from ringing in your ears or difficulty distinguishing sounds, then you should contact an ENT for ear problems in Los Angeles. A hearing specialist will be able to diagnose the cause of your hearing loss and offer treatment suggestions.