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Teen Hearing Loss Related to MP3 and iPod Listening

How often do you listen to music?

Did you know that incorrect usage of earbuds can lead to hearing loss even at an early age?

While listening to music on iPods allows us to relax and reduce stress, it can also cause hearing damage unless used properly. According to the Journal of Pediatrics, 12.5 percent of kids between the ages of 6 and 19 suffer from loss of hearing as a result of using ear phones turned to a high volume. Young people are actually vulnerable to hearing loss due to their excessive use of listening at overly high volumes.

Why Now?

Portable music players have been around for decades, so why are hearing problems cropping up now? The answer lies in the sheer number of songs iPods and MP3 players can hold. Older portable music players (such as the Sony Walkman) could only hold one CD or cassette at a time, so people listened for a shorter time. However, nanotechnology in MP3 players allows us to easily store thousands of songs, so we are more prone to listening for longer periods of time, which can lead to more ear abuse. Also, the earbuds common on MP3 players deliver the sound directly into the ear canal, eliminating other sounds.

Decibels
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), being exposed to more than 85 decibels of sound for eight hours can damage your hearing.
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Do You Have Hearing Loss?

So how do you know if you have damaged your ears with your music? If you answer yes to these questions, you may be experiencing hearing damage.

Are you hearing people's voices less clearly?
Are you frequently asking people to repeat themselves?
Does your family ask you to turn down the television because it is too loud, but you hear it at a normal level?

One way to tell if your music is too loud is if others who are not wearing the earbuds can hear the music playing in your ears.
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Preventing Hearing Loss

By following these simple steps, you can enjoy listening to music while avoiding harmful listening habits that can lead to permanent hearing loss:

Switch to headphones: While listening too loudly and for extended periods of time is bad for your health, headphones better isolate the background noise, thus enabling you to listen at a lower volume.

Listen at volumes lower than 85 decibels because anything higher can cause damage.

Take a break: Listening to extended periods of time can impair your hearing.

Try the 60/60 rule: never turn your volume past 60 percent and only listen to music with earbuds for a maximum of 60 minutes per day.