Huh? Can you speak up? Oh! You want to know if loud music can
hurt your
ears
. Are you asking because you like to put on your headphones and
crank up the volume of your favorite CD? Maybe your mom or dad has
told you, "Turn that down before you go deaf!" Well, they
have a point. Loud noise (from music or other sources such as
machinery or jet engines)
can
cause both temporary and permanent hearing loss.
Hearing loss means a person can't hear as well as other
people do. For some people, that means not being able to hear at
all. If the noise around you is so loud that you have to shout to
be heard, there is a chance that the mechanism inside your ear can
be injured.
Temporary hearing loss
can happen after you've been exposed to loud noise for any
duration. If you have temporary hearing loss, you won't be able
to hear as well as you normally do for a while. You may also have
tinnitus
(say: tih-
neye
-tus), which is a medical term for ringing in the ears. Your ears
can feel "full," too. Although your hearing frequently
returns to normal, the dangerous part is that you can lose it
permanently if you listen to loud noise or music over and over
again.
If someone is exposed to loud noise over a long period of time,
like every day, permanent hearing loss can occur. This means the
person's hearing won't ever be as good as it once was.
That's why construction workers and factory workers need to
wear ear protection. Lawn mowers and power tools, like chainsaws,
can also be loud enough to affect a person's ability to hear
high-pitched noises. This kind of noise also can cause a person to
have tinnitus all the time.
Listening to loud music a lot can cause the same kind of damage,
especially if headphones are used. Some famous musicians have lost
hearing and developed tinnitus - a real problem for someone who
needs to hear to make and enjoy music. That's why now you might
notice that some of your favorite musicians wear hearing protection
while they're playing.
You too can help keep your hearing in tip-top shape.
Protect your
ears
by wearing ear protection when you're using machinery, like in
metal shop at school. Also remember to turn down the volume,
especially when you are wearing headphones or in the car. You also
might want to give your ears a rest once in a while if you like
wearing headphones.
And if you're going to a concert, consider wearing earplugs
to protect your ears from the boom, boom, boom! In fact, special
earplugs can be made for you if you're going to concerts a lot
or if you're a musician yourself. Take these steps now and you
won't be saying "What?" later on.
Reviewed by:
Robert C. O'Reilly, MD and Thierry Morlet, PhD
Date reviewed: October 2007
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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