Did You Know That Prolong Use Of Earphones Can Cause Damage To Your Ear?

Earphones Experts believe that listening to loud music and prolonged earphone use can cause considerable damage to your ears. In addition, it can also cause ear canal infection, another condition that may contribute to hearing loss. Considering these things, should you start thinking about ditching your earphones? Well, not exactly but reduce its use!

 HOW LOUD MUSIC CAN DAMAGE YOUR EAR

Exposing yourself to very loud music (more than 110 decibels) for one minute can considerably increase your risk of experiencing permanent hearing loss. You can also expect the same result by listening to loud music (about 100 decibels) for 15 minutes or by using your earphones for prolonged periods of time, even if the volume merely reaches 85 decibels or about the sound of a lawn mower.

SO, WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?

According to a study conducted at the University of Leicester, loud noises can strip away the myelin sheath of the nerve cells. Since the myelin sheath is responsible for facilitating the transmission of sound impulses from the ears to the brain, any damage that it sustains can lead to temporary deafness.

In addition, a study published in the Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences in July 2002 showed that prolonged earphone use can cause aural hygiene problems and ear canal infection. The study also went on to suggest that wearing earphones for prolonged periods of time can increase the temperature and humidity inside the ear canal, thereby increasing a person's susceptibility to ear canal infection.

Exposure to noise pollution, especially for younger people, has gone from huge boom boxes and car stereo speakers to sound delivered directly into the ear through headphones or earphones.

Headphones and earphones appear to be the most damaging. Since noise-induced hearing loss is a result of intensity (loudness) and duration of exposure, these devices may be capable of inducing a permanent bilateral sensorineural hearing loss — especially if they are used at a volume setting of four or above for extended periods.

Hearing specialist David A. Schessel, MD, PhD, chief of our Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Division, tells parents: "If you can hear the music your child/teenager is playing through their headphones or earphones, it means the sound is too loud and can lead to permanent hearing loss."

The amount of hearing loss that one will suffer is related both to the volume, measured in decibels (dB), and the duration of time that one is exposed to the sound.

Sound at 85 dB or below is considered safe. Think about it!

If one is exposed to sounds greater than 90 dB for an average of eight hours per day without hearing protection, hearing loss will most likely result. As the volume increases, the safe time of exposure decreases.

Here are some loudness/time facts to consider (the unit of measurement is decibel):

    At 95 dB, damage will occur after four hours of exposure per day.

    At 100 dB, damage will occur after two hours of exposure per day.

    At 105 dB, damage will occur after one hour of exposure per day.

    At 110 dB, damage will occur after 30 minutes of exposure per day.

    At 115 dB, damage will occur after 15 minutes of exposure per day.

    At 120-plus dB, damage occurs almost immediately.

Most portable stereo music systems produce sound in the range of 95-108 dB at level four and in excess of 115 dB at level eight.

For comparison, a soft whisper is usually measured at 30dB; busy traffic at 75dB; a subway train at 90dB; a gunshot blast at 100 dB, a jet plane at 140 dB; and a rocket launching pad at 180 dB. Sounds above 140 dB usually cause pain. If you have to speak in a loud voice to be understood, background sound is probably in excess of 90 dB

PROTECTING YOUR EARS AGAINST HEARING LOSS

To prevent such problems, you need to follow the 60:60 Rule when using your personal music player. You need to set your player's volume at 60% of the maximum volume and make sure you don't use it for more than 60 minutes at a time. Use earplugs or ear protectors when you are exposed to loud noises and use premium earphones

This article was researched on by;

Mattearphones

Dr. David A. Schessel, MD, PhD