Headphones and earbuds are the opposite of custom earplugs: they channel sounds directly into your ear. They are fun and convenient, but they also pose several risks. One of these risks is causing hearing loss.
Here is everything you need to know about it, as well as tips on how to enjoy your headphones without losing your hearing.
The Risk of Hearing Loss
Exposure to loud noises is one of the primary causes of hearing loss. Headphones and earbuds beam sounds directly into your ears, exposing you to the risk of losing your hearing ability.
Earbuds are particularly risky when it comes to exposure to loud noises. Additionally, earbuds are too small to produce refined tones. To this end, they emit weak tones of bass. Moreover, they do not cancel out ambient noise.
These factors lead users to increase the volume, consequently increasing the risk of hearing loss. The risk of hearing loss is profound with earbuds because of their proximity to the hair cells in the ear canal called cilia. These hair cells are incredibly delicate and cannot regenerate, and earbuds are loud and in such proximity to the cilia.
Headphones are less risky because they don’t go into the hearing canal. However, they still channel music directly into the ear canal. They also have lower audio quality – albeit it is better than most earbuds. Additionally, they are capable of producing higher volume levels compared to earbuds. All in all, they pose the same risk as earbuds.
How to Use Headphones Safely
The World Health Organization warns that more than one billion people worldwide risk developing hearing loss because of increased exposure to loud noises. However, you can still enjoy listening to music via headphones without risking hearing loss.
For starters, it is advisable to replace your earbuds with headphones. Earbuds are riskier than headphones, as mentioned, and headphones produce better audio quality than most earbuds.
It is advisable to stay within the recommended volume levels. Exposure to loud noises is the leading cause of hearing loss, and lower audio quality is manageable as long as you don’t lose your hearing. As such, keep your volumes at a maximum of 85 decibels.
It is also recommendable to get good-quality headphones with noise-cancellation and noise-isolation features. Noise-canceling headphones cancel out ambient noises, allowing you to focus on the sound of your music. Noise-isolating headphones also create an extra barrier between the earlobes and outside, keeping outside noises out.
Both of these headphones get credit for reducing the risk of hearing loss. Additionally, they make for a better listening experience as the audio quality is better. Nevertheless, it is still advisable to limit the volume to 85 decibels and avoid prolonged listening periods.
Final Thoughts
It doesn’t make sense to lose your hearing because of the repetitive use of headphones and earplugs. However, you can have both by minding your listening practices and investing in good-quality headphones. If it is unavoidable, opt to listen to loud music at home on the home theatre system. Being deaf is not an easy task, especially if you have to adapt to it later in life.
