The use of headphones, earbuds and earphones has increased due to new technological trends.
They give us a chance to enjoy music and have conversations anywhere and at any time.
Nevertheless, our ears are at risk when we use these electronic devices.
The chances of damaging your ears is dependent on two factors: how long you listen to something and how loud the sound is.
Too much of something is poisonous.
What we need to be keen about is being aware of the safe sound levels we can use and when to take a break from them.
The World Health Organization stated that turning up tunes today may lead to the inability to hear them tomorrow.
“Young people tend to turn the volume too high on their mobile, music devices, as well as frequent noisy concerts and clubs,” WHO said.
"As a result, more than 1.1 billion people aged between 12-35 are at risk of hearing loss.”
The Harvard Medical School stated that the inner ear is very sensitive to the balance of sound that it perceives.
“Excess sound can cause permanent damage to ear cells, which can interrupt the mechanism of sound transmission,” the statement read.
It added that it varies with the decibel (dB) level, which is the measurement of sound.
“Exposure to sound levels above 85 dB for more than two hours can cause possible ear damage, while exposure to sound of 105 to 110 dB can cause damage in five minutes.”
This can be controlled by;
Being aware of how long we listen and how loud the sound is.
Taking breaks in between sessions, especially long ones.
Using earbuds in noisy places or headphones with noise cancelling properties.
Limiting use of these devices could be for the greater good of your ears in future.
