Look around and you’ll see that earbuds are just about everywhere. We use them on the train, at the gym, at home, and even at work. But is all this listening to our favorite tunes hurting our ears?
There’s quite a bit of worrying about hearing damage from earbuds. In this article, we will discuss how earbuds can hurt hearing in the short term and long term, to what degree they can cause greater ear damage than other audio devices, and what someone should do if they suspect they have hearing loss due to earbuds.
How Does Sound Travel through the Ear?
Sound enters the outer ear through the ear canal, causing the eardrum to vibrate. This transmits the vibrations to three tiny bones in the middle ear, called malleus, incus, and stapes, which then amplify the sound and send it to the cochlea in the inner ear. At this point, hair cells convert the vibrations into electrical signals, which are carried to the brain by the auditory nerve. This is how we hear sound.
What are Safe Listening Levels?
Sound is measured in decibels (dB). All around us, we hear different decibel levels, but do we really know what is safe and what is not?
The sound of a typical conversation between two people is around 70 dB, which is considered safe for our hearing. Anything above that can cause hearing damage over time. A rock concert can be 110 dB or even higher while shouting out to someone who is at arm’s length can be around 85 dB, which is considered the maximum safe level.
Some examples of sounds and their dB levels include:
- Ticking Clock – 20 dB
- Average Room Noise – 30-50 dB
- Average Office Noise – 70 dB
- Noisy Restaurant – 85 dB
- Hair Dryer – 90 dB
- Barking Dog – 110 dB
- Rock Concert – 120 dB
- Jackhammer – 130 dB
- Gunshot – 140 dB
The illustration below shows these and other typical sounds that we experience; it is important to note those that exceed the maximum safe level of 85 dB.
What is Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?
The world around us can get pretty loud. On any typical day, we can hear people calling to others from across rooms. We hear loud conversations in places such as restaurants and coffee shops, and we tend to have to talk a bit louder to make ourselves heard.
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) occurs when we are exposed to excessively loud sounds that cause damage to the hair cells in the inner ear. This damage leads to a gradual decline in hearing since these hair cells don’t grow back.
Three factors put a person at risk for NIHL:
- The volume of the noise.
- A person’s proximity to the noise.
- The duration of the noise.
The hearing loss can be temporary or permanent, depending on the intensity of the noise and how long a person is exposed. Louder noises damage hearing faster, and the more you turn up the volume, the shorter the safe listening time is.
So, how do you know if a noise is too loud? If you need to raise your voice to be heard, you are probably in an environment that is too noisy. Maybe you can’t hear or understand someone 2 or 3 feet away from you, or the speech around you sounds muffled after leaving a noisy area. You might feel pain or ringing in the ears, which can last for several minutes to a few days. These are all signs that the noise around you is unsafe.
How Earbuds Can Hurt Hearing
There’s no denying the popularity and convenience of earbuds. Everyone wants to listen to their favorite music without disturbing the people around them or carry on phone conversations with in-the-ear devices, and earbuds are the perfect way to do that.
However, what many people might not realize is that we are causing ourselves harm in the process.
According to recent studies, 24% of people ages 12-35 are regularly listening to sounds at an unsafe level. We do it without even realizing it!
Perhaps you are at the gym, and you want to drown out the sounds of treadmills, free weights and the guy grunting across the room. The first thing you do is increase the volume on your earbuds.
Or, it could be that someone is doing work around the house and doesn’t want to listen to the other noises around them, so they pop in their earbuds and turn up the sound. This happens all the time, and people are using devices with sound levels much higher than 85 dB (the maximum safe level mentioned earlier).
When we use earbuds at high volumes regularly, it leads to permanent hearing damage ranging from partial to complete deafness.
Everyone has different sensitivities to loud noises, and the louder the sound, the more damage it can cause.
It is also important to keep in mind the short-term effects that earbuds can cause—sounds at or above 94-110 dB can cause immediate ear damage. This damage is usually noticeable as tinnitus, which is defined as a ringing in the ears. The “ringing” may be heard as different types of noise to someone experiencing tinnitus, such as hissing, whooshing or a constant audio tone.
Can Earbuds Cause Greater Damage than Other Audio Devices?
When compared to other audio devices, such as over-the-ear headphones, earbuds can cause more hearing damage. Let’s explore some of the reasons.
With earbuds, the sound is delivered directly into the ear canal, which means that sound waves are delivered closer to the eardrum than a device that fits “over” or away from the ear. The same level of volume can be perceived as louder with earbuds compared to other devices, due to their close proximity to the ear. This leads to louder listening levels.
Another concern is that using earbuds tends to push earwax further into the ear, which can further damage the ear canal, eardrum and hearing ability.
Staying safe with earbuds is vital. Consider using noise-cancelling headphones to listen to music and a lower, safer volume. These headphones use built-in microphones to capture the noise around you and then produce an opposite version of the sound, which is fed into the headphones, resulting in a canceling out of the noise. Using noise-cancelling headphones helps protect your hearing since you won’t feel the need to turn up the volume to drown out the noises around you. You’ll be able to enjoy your favorite music and podcasts at a lower volume.
If you do use earbuds, take the steps to do it safely. Follow the 60/60 rule, which recommends keeping the volume 60% of the maximum volume and limiting use to no more than 60 minutes per day.
Also, don’t forget to take regular breaks when wearing earbuds. Listen to a few songs, then take the earbuds out. It is important to give your ears a rest from the constant audio stream.
How to Know if You Have Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is a hidden danger of earbud use, and it can be difficult to know how it has affected you since it occurs gradually over time. Common signs of noise-induced hearing loss to look for include difficulty in hearing or keeping up with conversations. If you are constantly asking people to repeat themselves, or you hear a constant ringing or buzzing in the ears, it could be a cause for concern.
Remember that early detection is key. Never wait until the damage is severe, address it as early as possible to maximize treatment options.
What Should You Do If You Suspect You Have Hearing Loss Due to Earbud Use?
Earbuds are a wonderful way to listen privately to music, news, and podcasts, but you need to be aware of the potential risks to your hearing. Excessive volume and long periods of listening can lead to permanent damage.
If you use earbuds or have used them in the past and think that you may be suffering from hearing loss, be sure to schedule an appointment with our audiologist at Chang Eye Group in Pittsburgh. You can address all concerns and receive the proper guidance on managing any damage that you have and preventing further damage in the future. Contact us today to learn more about hearing loss and what you can do to protect yourself.
