Earbuds Can Lead to Loss of Hearing

In the 1980s, audiologists began cautioning lovers of loud music about hearing loss that could potentially result from use of their Walkman or portable CD. Back then, listeners used muff-type earphones, not the earbud type ones.

Nowadays, because of the MP3 player boom and the extensive usage of earbuds, Dean Garstecki at the Northwestern University is reiterating the warning, this type of headsets being even more dangerous than the classic one.

"We're seeing the kind of hearing loss in younger people typically found in aging adults. Unfortunately, the earbuds preferred by music listeners are even more likely to cause hearing loss than the muff-type earphones that were associated with the older devices," Garstecki said.

Garstecki explained that these headphones can boost the sound signal by as much as six to nine decibels.

"That's the difference in intensity between the sound made by a vacuum cleaner and the sound of a motorcycle engine"

In addition to the more intense sound signal, today's music listening devices, with their longer battery life and their capacity to hold and conveniently play lots of music, also encourage users to listen for longer periods of time than did the older portable devices.

However, there is a solution to prevent the damaging of the eardrum. The researcher recommends the 60 percent/60 minute rule, which implies limiting the earbuds' usage to 60 minutes per day and using a volume 60 percent lower than the device's maximum output.