Posted on: March 7, 2013
It seems iPods and MP3 players are becoming more and more popular. It is not unusual to see kids wearing them all day long. Even some adults are getting in on the action. The downside to all of this earphone use is noise induced hearing loss. Listening to loud noise, including loud music, for extended periods of time can lead to irreversible hearing loss. That’s right, hearing loss caused by loud music is permanent!
Indeed, we are seeing more hearing loss in younger people. According to the Journal of Pediatrics, 12.5 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 19 have noise induced hearing loss. The best way to prevent this type of hearing loss is to limit the time you or your children spend listening to music through earphones and reduce the volume when you have them on.
A good rule of thumb is that you should be able to hear what someone is saying approximately 3 feet away when you have your earphones on. If your children are wearing them you should not be able to hear the music they are listening too. If you can, the volume is too loud! When listening to your iPod or MP3 try not to turn the volume up past about the halfway mark and limit time spent listening to them to about an hour at a time. Following these simple rules can go a long way toward preventing noise induced hearing loss.
If you or someone you know could benefit from a hearing test please contact Accurate Hearing at 423-7734 in Halifax or 252-3004 in Lower Sackville.