How to Avoid Hearing Damage from Headphones?

You probably carry a smartphone in your pocket, along with a set of headphones that let you use it hands-free. Unfortunately, those same gadgets that make chatting on the phone or listening to music so easy may also be harming your hearing. So what can you do to protect your hearing from damage brought on by headphones or other audio equipment?

How Loud Noise Can Damage Hearing

The main risk associated with headphones is their loudness, or how near to your ear they may emit extremely loud sound levels. Because loud noises generally harm your ears, this is harmful to your hearing.

The eardrum vibrates as a result of sound waves entering our ears.Through a number of tiny bones, this vibration travels through the inner ear and eventually reaches the cochlea. The cochlea is a compartment in your ear filled with fluid and lined with many tiny "hairs." The fluid inside the cochlea vibrates in response to sound waves, moving the hairs. Stronger vibrations from louder noises force the hairs to move more.

These hair cells become less sensitive to vibration when exposed to very loud noises over an extended period of time. The cells sway or fold over in response to several loud stimuli. This is what makes you feel like you have "temporary hearing loss" after being around loud noises. Extreme vibrations induced by loud noise require some time for the hair cells to recover.

But occasionally, the cells never get better. They can be too damaged to continue operating regularly. This results in long-term hearing loss. The loss of hearing caused by this sort of noise is nearly always irreversible. An inner ear that has been injured cannot be repaired.

The Role of Headphones

In the same way that other loud noises do, headphones harm your ears, causing what audiologists refer to as "noise-induced hearing loss." Over time, the sounds coming from your headphones force the cochlea's hair cells to bend too sharply or excessively. They may never fully recuperate if they don't have enough time.

However, even moderately loud headphones might harm your ears.Over time, even moderate-volume headphone or earbud use might harm your hearing. That's because prolonged exposure to a noise can harm your ears just as much as its volume. For the same reason that a considerably louder gunshot or explosion can hurt your hearing more than attending a concert or utilizing noisy power equipment. Just as important as the exposure amount is the exposure time.

How about earbuds? Unfortunately, due to the variable decibel levels of headphones, this topic is difficult to answer. The "loudness" of your headphones depends on the level you've set on your phone or other device, the kind and brand of headphones you're using, and other factors.

You should be aware that decibels decrease with distance; the louder a sound is, the closer you are to the source. For this reason, over-the-ear headphones rather than in-ear types like earbuds are frequently advised by audiologists and hearing professionals. The additional space between the speakers and the listener can greatly lower audio volume and lessen the risk of hearing loss.

How to Avoid Hearing Damage from Headphones

It is not very difficult to prevent hearing loss caused by headphones. Most people just need to break a few habits related to their use of headphones.

Turn Down the Volume

Turning down the volume on your gadgets is the single largest step you can take to safeguard your hearing. Exposure to extremely loud noise is the main cause of hearing loss due to noise. Your ears can be protected by limiting your exposure.

Use Noise-Canceling Headphones

Most individuals "drown out" other sounds by listening to headphones at a loud level. Utilizing noise-canceling headphones is a terrific technique to reduce the level on your gadgets while safeguarding your ears. With these headphones, you can enjoy your music or films at a reduced volume without being interrupted by outside noise.

Use Over-the-Ear Models

As we've already discussed, audiologists and otologists usually advise against using in-ear or earbud-style headphones. By putting more space between your eardrums and the speakers, over-the-ear headphones reduce the likelihood of hearing loss.

Limit Your Exposure

You may protect your hearing by decreasing the amount of time you spend listening and lowering the volume.The "60-60 rule" is a useful guideline: Don't listen for more than 60 minutes at a time at a volume that is louder than 60% of its maximum. Unfortunately, if your ears have previously been harmed by noise from headphones, they could never fully recover. But it doesn't mean you'll never be able to hear clearly again. A hearing aid from a certified audiologist can help you hear again and recover your hearing abilities.