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Turn That Music Down!
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Hearing damage is related to two things – loudness and length of exposure When enjoying favorite tunes on your iPod or other personal stereo system, be kind to your ears. In other words … turn it down! But don’t fret; you can still listen to your music. Just remember a few tips the next time you put those earphones on. Personal stereo systems such as iPod and MP3 players can pose a real risk to hearing. More and more younger adults are buying them, so much attention is focused on the long-term effect prolonged periods of use will have on hearing. Some 19 percent of 18-28 year-olds own at least one personal stereo system, and 14 percent of 29-40 year- olds have the devices, according to the 2005 Pew Internet and American Life Project research. The iPod, like all digital music players, can store huge amounts of music and can play for many hours. As a result, people can listen longer to their favorite tracks. Listening to an iPod for extended periods every day could have a similar effect as attending a rock concert every night. “The sound does not have a chance to be filtered out by the environment. It’s right there in your ear,” said Katherine Bachtel, BS, CFA, a clinical fellow in audiology at Baptist Memorial Health Care. “The louder you have the volume, the shorter the time you should be exposed to it.” Hearing damage is related to two things – loudness and length of exposure. Frequent exposure to excessive noise combined with the normal aging process causes slow, high-frequency hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss occurs when the delicate hair nerve cells that line the inner ear suffer repeated trauma from loud sound vibrations. Volume controls on many of the machines can be turned up to more than 100 decibels, which is equivalent to standing a few yards from a pneumatic drill. How loud is too loud? Volume control varies from machine to machine and different styles of music have varying volume levels so there’s no standard answer to how loud is too loud. A good rule of thumb: if you are listening to a device like an iPod you should be able to hear the noise going on around you. This is a good rule for your ears and for general safety. If you are jogging with your iPod cranked up to where you can’t hear the cars around you, it’s too loud. How long is too long? Experts recommend limiting listening time to an hour or less a day. It can be a challenge to convince people to limit noise exposure because the effects are not immediate, Bachtel said. Teens may not have hearing loss until their 30s and 40s. But if you use moderation in your listening habits – limiting time and noise levels – you can hear your favorite music better and longer into your life.
Published: August 24, 2005
Source: Katherine Bachtel, BS, CFA, clinical fellow in audiology at Baptist Memorial Health Care Writer: Elizabeth Todd Bartholomew, MA, APR  Top of Page |
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