Avoid Hearing Damage from Personal Audio Devices
February 14, 2006 | Ears, Nose, Throat/Speech and Hearing
Hearing experts are sounding an alarm. The personal audio devices that so many kids listen to can damage their hearing for good. But there are ways to protect against damage.
“I got it last Christmas and I was so happy when I got it because I’d wanted it for so long,” said 15-year-old Harmony Gonty. “Probably the loudest is the dance music I have on here. It’s really loud.”
But that great sound comes at a hidden cost. You could be damaging your hearing a little every time you crank up that volume.
“There’s no question. It a slow process and down the road it’s inevitable,” said hearing expert Dr. Scott Manning at Seattle Children’s Hospital.
The little earbuds are the culprits. Dr. Manning measures the sound coming from them and shows us as the loudness climbs past a worrisome 90 decibels.
“That’s like cutting grass for a living without hearing protection, parking airplanes for a living without hearing protection,: said Dr. Manning.
The longer the earbuds are in, the more hearing loss you can expect even at lower volumes.
“I think I probably listen to it about two hours a day depending on the day,” said 16-year-old Rachael Levalley. I tend to listen to it while I’m doing my homework.”
A headset can make an important difference as it lets you listen more clearly at lower volume.
“That’s because this blocks out surrounding noise and it’s more efficient,” Dr. Manning said. “But that makes a huge difference in loudness and safety.”