Every time I’m on my phone, I always have my earbuds in, whether its to listen to music or watch a video. If you’re someone like me, you may have had your parents tell you to stop using them because you’re “going to go deaf when you are old”. My parents always do this, and it made me wonder if earphones actually damage your ears.
How they cause damage
Earbuds can cause hearing loss. This is because earbuds are like speakers inside your hear, and loud volumes playing close to the eardrum can cause hearing loss. When your volume is at 70% this is 85 decibels, but since earbuds are inside your ear, the audio signal raises by 9 more decibels. Any noise above 85 decibels can cause hearing damage. 85 decibels may seem quiet when compared to earbuds, but listening to the equivalent of 90 decibels for 3 hours can be as damaging as listening to something of 155 decibels for 30 seconds.
How to use earbuds safely
Noise-induced hearing loss can be prevented if earbuds are used safely. Doctors recommend a rule called the 60%/60 rule. This means that you shouldn’t make your volume higher than 60% and listen no more than one hour without giving your hears a break.
Headphones are also an alternative because when you compare their audio levels to earbuds, the levels are 6-9 decibels lower. Headphones can still cause hearing damage if you use them unsafely, but they are safer since the speaker is not sitting inside your ear.
Just because earbuds can cause hearing problems, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use them. These problems only occur when you use them unsafely, so the next time you are listening to music, make sure to take a break and protect your ears!
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