Hearing and Music

When you use your MP3 player, do people around you ever complain because they can hear your music, too? After a concert, do you walk out with a ringing sensation in your ears that doesn't go away for hours? Enjoying music is great, but listening with the volume up too high may leave you at risk for noise-induced hearing loss.

How does hearing damage happen?

Part of the inner ear, called the cochlea, has tiny hair cells that change sound into a signal that gets sent to your brain. Hearing damage occurs when the hair cells are destroyed by loud noise.

There are two ways that hearing loss can happen:

• Exposure to one really loud sound, such as an explosion. The sound is so loud that it can cause damage almost instantly.
• Repeated exposure to loud sounds that last a long time, for example: listening to your MP3 player at a high volume every day. This damages the tiny hair cells in the ear over a period of time, and the hearing loss happens gradually.

Can my MP3 player cause hearing damage?

Yes. MP3 players create sound levels that can cause hearing loss if they are used at high volumes for long periods of time.

Here are ways you can protect your hearing and still listen to music on your MP3 player:

• Set the volume on your MP3 player in a quiet place, and to a level where you can still carry on a conversation.
• Don't turn the volume up when you go outside.
• Never listen to your MP3 player at the maximum volume level.
• If you plan to listen for over one hour, the volume should be turned down below 60%.
• If sound from your headphones can be heard by other people who are 3 feet away, the volume is too loud.

Will going to concerts cause me to lose hearing?

Over time, yes. To prevent damage at a concert, it's a good idea to wear ear plugs. You might think you'd only need them when you're at a rock concert, or up close to the stage, but the truth is that the type of music doesn't matter - and neither does your distance from the stage. Research has shown that sound pressure levels appear equally harmful in all parts of a concert hall.

Even though wearing earplugs might not seem like the coolest thing to do, keep in mind that some of your favorite band members wear them while performing. Many musicians perform every night for years, and that is a lot of noise to handle. Smart musicians and concert goers know that extremely loud noise can cause tinnitus (the sensation of "ringing in the ears"), and permanent hearing loss.

How do I know what's too loud?

Sound is measured in units called decibels (dB). Generally, sounds that are louder than 80 dB can damage your hearing.

Below is a noise chart to help you better understand the difference between normal, loud, and dangerously loud noises. Check out where MP3 players and concert noise are located.

Normal:

• 35 dB: a whisper
• 60 dB: a normal conversation
• 70 dB: vacuum cleaner
• 80 dB: alarm clock

Very loud:

• 90 dB: lawnmower
• 100 dB: MP3 player (maximum volume)

Dangerously loud:

• 120 dB: airplane take-off
• 150 dB: concert (maximum volume)

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, 1 in 5 teens can't hear rustles or whispers. Even scarier, the number of teens with hearing loss has jumped 33% since 1994. Don't become a statistic - be safe while listening to music.

Remember to wear ear protection during other activities where you could be exposed to dangerously loud sounds (using a lawn mower, leaf blower, etc.) as well. If you lose your hearing suddenly or slowly, see your health care provider right away.

Written by the CYWH & YMH Staff at Children's Hospital Boston

Updated: 2/22/2011

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