Effects of Loud Headphones

Many people use headphones on a daily basis, especially in the adolescent age group. Using headphones is supposed to be a harmless activity, that is, until the volume is blasted.  Due to their increased use, headphones have caused 1 in 5 teens to have some form of hearing loss. Today, that rate is 30% higher that it was 20-30 years ago. Using headphones at high volumes for extended periods of time can result in lifelong hearing loss. Younger children are at higher risk for developmental delays in language and speech due to the excessive noise.

If you can’t hear anything that is going on around you, chances are the decibel level is too high. You should avoid exceeding 60% of maximum volume when listening through headphones. Per day, the maximum time you should have headphones plugged in is 60 minutes. As a rule of thumb, the louder you set the volume, the shorter your use of the headphones should be.  Headphones at maximum volume should only be used for 5 minutes per day.

The hearing loss someone experiences with headphones is a gradual and cumulative process. If you feel you have experienced hearing loss, you should have a medical examination and take a hearing test. These are the only true ways to obtain a diagnosis.

Signs of hearing loss:

- Buzzing, ringing, hissing, roaring in the ear
- Trouble understanding speech in noisy places or places with lackluster acoustics.
- Feeling that your ear is plugged and experiencing muffled sounds
- Finding yourself listening to the radio or TV at a higher volume than in the past

Unfortunately, hearing loss as a result of overexposure to extremely loud noises is irreversible. Implants and hearing aids may help with amplifying sounds and make hearing easier. In order to prevent that from happening, it’s best you use older style headphones that are placed on the ears rather than ones that go directly into your ears.

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