Can iPods and other handheld music devices cause hearing loss? Only if you use them without taking precautions to protect your hearing! Dr. Brian Fligor, Director of Diagnostic Audiology at Children's Hospital in Boston, has conducted extensive research to examine the impact of listening to music at loud volume levels through handheld music devices. Here are some highlights of his research:
- The volume level of most handheld music devices can be increased to 105 decibels. At that decibel level, the average person can listen for 7 minutes (1-2 songs) before hearing damage begins to occur.
- "The volume level of the mp3 player is too loud if someone standing next to you can hear what you're listening to." This is not true. There is no connection between the decibel level and the ability to hear what someone else is listening to. It is actually the result of the type of headphones being used- not the volume level.
- Studies show that teenagers listen to handheld music devices at louder volumes than any other age group. This is alarming because the most rapid hearing loss occurs during the first ten years of repeated loud noise exposure. Dr. Filgor states:
If somebody is exposed to loud sounds over a significant portion of their life, say from age ten to 40 years, they will lose more hearing in the first ten years than in the last ten years. Imagine a 15-year-old who gets an MP3 player and is not taught to safely use the device. That 15-year-old, by the time he's 25, could have the hearing of a 55 to 60 year old man.
- The "80-90" Rule. Dr. Filgor created a principle to provide for realistic listening volume and enjoyment without the risk of hearing loss. It's called "The 80-90 Rule." Dr. Filgor states:
If you set the volume control at 80 percent, and listen for 90 minutes a day, or less, that is appropriate for every MP3 player out there, using the headphones that came with it.
To read more about Dr. Filgor's research, click here.
Image provided courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
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