If you are one of those who stays hooked to the headphone/ earphone for hours together, here is something you should know.
With the last Sunday of September being observed as International Deaf Day, ENT specialists and audiologists are cautioning people on the ills of prolonged use of headphones, which, they say, can cause hearing loss.
‘Contagious'
Pointing out that the use of earphones have become “contagious”, experts say their use may be more often responsible for causing hearing loss than exposure to loudspeakers.
People take advantage of the acoustic isolation by listening to music on personal music systems at high volume. Music coming from speakers should ideally travel several feet before reaching the ears as this ensures that a portion of the high frequencies is absorbed by the air, says audiologist Krishna Kumar, who is also the director of Rajan's Speech and Hearing Centre.
Greater damage
“With headphones, we hear all frequencies without any attenuation as the transducers are literally pressed against the ears. Therefore, the use of headphones is likely to cause more hearing damage in the long run,” he says.
Another issue with headphones is that it decreases the ear's sensitivity over time as it adapts to loud sounds. The listener will perceive a gradual drop in loudness even though the volume remains constant, he says.
Kailash N., professor and head of the Department of ENT at B.R. Ambedkar Medical College and Hospital, concurs with this view and says prolonged exposure to high volume (noise or music) can result in hearing damage.
“If one has to listen to music during a long journey, then one should take a short break to rest the ears every 30 minutes. It is also important to set the volume at a “safe” level, similar to having a regular conversation,” he says.
Both experts say wearing headphones while exercising can also be dangerous to hearing.
Anyone who listens to loud music or is exposed to loud noise on a regular basis should have his hearing assessment done periodically because hearing loss can be cumulative, gradual and symptomless, they warn.
