Anna Leinenbach, Senior
According to a new Time Magazine study, 48 million Americans have hearing problems and 20% of children have hearing loss due to loud noise exposure. With technology on the rise and Apple’s development of AirPods, many people blame the headphones that we wear. The devices that play loud music right next to a person’s eardrum must be responsible, right? Wrong. Dr Robert A. Dobie, a specialist from a health center in San Antonio, Texas says that while earbuds can cause hearing loss if the volume is too high, it is not the primary cause of the increase of hearing issues.
So, if listening to music is not the cause of the increase, what is? Dobie says, “A lot more kids lose hearing from recreational shooting or hunting than from loud music.” More and more research is coming out saying that a majority of hearing loss is due to firearm shooting without proper ear protection. Additionally, the high decibel levels of public events such as professional sports games and concerts contributes to the loss.
That being said, there is certainly a volume level that is too high and can cause damage to your ear canal. Understand that each person’s ear is different; some people have tough ears and some people have tender ears. For this reason, there is not one set level to which you should set your music. However, several signs can be identified that a person is listening to music that is too loud. If you take your earbuds out and hear ringing, or the activity around you seems muffled, then you need to turn down the music. Dobie additionally advises everyone to be aware of their surroundings. The most likely events to cause damage to your ears are in a crowded place, like a subway, city, or school. Trying to drown out the conversations of others by turning up the volume can cause serious damage to your ears without awareness.
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