iPods and headphones: The gift of deafness?

If you gave or received an iPod or any other portable headphone-equipped digital media player as a gift this holiday season, listen up. When used unwisely, they can result in permanent hearing loss.

Our colleagues over at the Consumer Reports Health Blog reported on a new medical study from the European Union which found that 5 to 10 percent of MP3 listeners are at high risk of developing hearing loss after five years of exposure. This latest study's findings fall in line with what researchers have previously reported with U.S.-based studies.

Obviously, headphone users can reduce the risk of hearing loss by managing the amount of time and volume they use with their portable media player. And some MP3 players feature “volume limiters” that can be set to prevent overly loud sound from reaching the headphones. (Our Ratings of MP3 players, available to subscribers, denotes which models have this feature.)

In their post, iPods can be a hazard to your hearing, the health experts at Consumer Reports have listed other helpful safe listening tips.

Comments

[Rich_S]

Hearing loss from recreational activities - i.e. listening to music, play in a band - is insidious. At sound levels from 85-100 dB, damage is being done without the person realizing it. In fact, he/she is enjoying it! There is no immediate sense of danger. It's just like certain other forms of recreation...

People tend to believe if there's no *pain*, it must be OK. Unfortunately, that's not true here. The level has to get much, much higher than 85dB before most people sense actual pain.

Also: Certain music can be problematic because even if you set it at a comfortable level, there are fast peaks of very high amplitude which we don't think of as loud, or didn't expect, but can really do damage.

[Debbie]

Re: smith
Yes, people have been saying "this" since the 80's - because it is true! However, the article's title is misleading, as the story describes permanent hearing loss, as opposed to what you seem to be thinking of, which would be total deafness. The dictionary describes deaf as: partially or wholly lacking or deprived of the sense of hearing; unable to hear.

Perhaps not everyone you know is deaf; though in the true sense of the word, you most likely know many deaf people. Are you a doctor and do you have access to "everyone's" hearing records?

I could probably hear you whisper across a room, yet I have hearing loss in one ear. It is the ear I couldn't shield when I had press seats next to the speakers at a rock concert many years ago. I knew there was a problem when I walked out of the concert.

My children know that if we can hear their music when they are using ear buds, the music is too loud. Thankfully, they do not go to concerts, though they know my experience. Let's scare people! Let's let them be more sensible when it comes to their own senses. For some, when they do come to their senses, it is too late. You can't get your hearing back. Am I being loud and clear enough?

[IPods, Laptops]

The IPod consumer just needs to be smart about how loud and how often they use the electronic with headphones. It's commonsense.

[rick]

Re: smith
Yes, it has been said before and it is still true. The volume output of today's units are just as loud as those from the 70s. The press is not trying to scare people, they are warning parents mostly. Kids are listening to these devices at unsafe levels. I have an ipod and other dmps. I have to be careful of the volume, also and I'm old (not hard of hearing and yes, I've had it checked). If you put an SPL meter (sound pressure level meter) up to your earphones/headphones, you may be surprised at how loud it actually is. OSHA limits noise levels to below 80 db for long periods of time w/o hearing protection. I'll bet you listen to your music player at levels considerably higher than that. BE CAREFUL!

[smith]

people have been saying this since walkmans came out in the 80's. I don't see everyone I know deaf because they had walkmans back then. 5 years? Um, someone must be deaf already to listen to it that LOUDLY! Come on.. We all know that they do cause hearing loss if listened at loud volumes, but the audio output of these units are pretty low compared to what they used to be! Stop trying to scare people, more fear by the press, not very cool. Maybe if you quoted your sources for the "5 year" claim. But just to put it out there is just to scare people. Shame on you.

What CR could look into is the design of the headphone in relation to hearing loss. For instance if the ear pod (ipod type) headphones creates a situation for more damaging sound to enter the ear as compared to those that sit on the ear.