Hearing loss is not only an issue for older people. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), up to 1.1 billion young people could be at risk of hearing loss, and the sole reason is extended exposure to excessively high volumes.
Hearing loss and tinnitus caused by headphones are more common than people think. If your ears hurt after wearing headphones, you could be a risk.
Let’s dive into what happens if you wear headphones too much and what you can do to mitigate the damage.
No matter how you approach it, there’s no denying it: someone wearing in-ear and over-ear headphones at loud volumes for long periods is taking a risk. Hearing loss caused by noise exposure is irreversible, and there is no way to get it back. Even hearing aids are not a treatment for hearing loss as they are simply a device that helps people cope with hearing loss.
But first, how loud is too loud?
The majority of MP3 players can produce 120 dB sounds, roughly the same as the average rock concert. Someone may listen to sounds at this level for 75 minutes before hearing loss occurs. Most experts agree that the safe volume level for hearing when wearing headphones is 60% of the maximum volume.
Even at that “safe” volume, hearing experts advise that people should not listen for more than 60 minutes per day. To give you an idea of how unsafe loud volumes can be, a music player on maximum volume can only be sustained for five minutes per day before hearing loss occurs.
Someone wearing headphones must be aware of their safe hearing levels and how much noise exposure per day they are receiving. Here are some of the effects of wearing headphones for long periods.
The big risk with headphones is hearing loss. If you notice headphones are louder in one ear, this is a sign that you have already experienced hearing loss. As already mentioned, hearing loss is irreversible. However, there are early warning signs, such as if your inner ear hurts after wearing headphones.
Some other symptoms include:
Listening difficulties in noisy environments
Muffled sounds
Feeling that the ear is plugged
Listening to higher volumes than before
Ear pain
When headphones hurt ears, it indicates trauma. While other medical issues could be the underlying cause of ear problems, it’s a matter of noise exposure in most cases.
Tinnitus is not a medical condition itself but a symptom of one. Do headphones cause tinnitus, with their distinctive buzzing, chirping, and ringing sounds? Absolutely.
According to the Mayo Clinic, tinnitus has multiple causes. Age-related hearing loss, head trauma, or problems with the circulatory system are all potential reasons why you may experience tinnitus. Understand that headphones can cause trauma. Whenever you damage the tiny cells inside your ear, you have caused yourself injury.
Tinnitus may go away on its own, but chronic tinnitus often requires sound therapy to overcome.
Many people wonder about the side effects of headphones on the brain. While there is no concrete evidence that states headphones could be responsible for a traumatic brain injury, they can influence someone’s state of mind.
The latest research reveals focus and concentration problems result from prolonged headphone use. The origins of this phenomenon come from the signals sent to the brain when listening to audio at loud volumes for long periods.
Anyone who needs to concentrate at school or work must be aware that this is one of the chief side effects of headphones on the brain. A lack of performance during your daily life could seriously impact your future.
Ear infections are among the most common problems in the U.S. Children are especially susceptible to infections, with five out of six children experiencing an infection before the age of three.
Infections, however, represent a severe risk to your future hearing. While most infections can and do clear up by themselves, sometimes you may need antibiotics to protect your hearing. Serious ear infections left untreated may lead to permanent hearing loss.
Wearing headphones enhances the risk of an ear infection. High levels of moisture and humidity are a breeding ground for the very bacteria that could lead to a severe infection.
Both child and adult acne may occur for the same reason as an ear infection. When clamping some giant headphones over your ears, you clog the hair follicles.
Clogged follicles trap dirt, dust, and bacteria. Add in the ear bowl's naturally warm, moist environment, and you have the perfect place for acne-causing bacteria to grow. While acne is not a guarantee of wearing headphones, it very quickly can be what happens if you wear headphones too much.
Wearing certain hearing aid styles with headphones can be problematic. The fact is that you may need to take out your hearing aids to wear earbuds or put them over the top.
Bluetooth connectivity comes highly recommended for hearing aid wearers because you can pair them with your device and stream audio directly into your hearing aids. The current generation of hearing devices typically has this feature as standard.
If you love listening to music, make Bluetooth hearing aids a priority. But what if you lack Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids?
Be warned: you will need to prepare to embark upon a trial-and-error process. Headphones must be the right fit, and everyone’s ear anatomy differs. Try to visit a store and try on several different types of headphones with your hearing aids.
Comfort is paramount, and you should be prepared to purchase headphones with a money-back guarantee if you find later down the line that they do not work for you. Your hearing aid style will play a big part in whether you can comfortably wear headphones for prolonged periods.
ITE hearing aids are by far the best style for wearing headphones. Since your hearing aids fit directly into your ear, with no microphones, processors, or cases on the outside, you will be able to wear your headphones without any problems.
The more low-profile your ITE hearing aids, the better. Invisible-in-the-Canal (IIC) hearing aids are some of the smallest on the market and are most suited to wearing devices like headphones and earbuds.
The only downside to ITE hearing aids is they tend to be prescribed to those with mild to moderate hearing loss. Non-ITE hearing aids are, generally, unsuited to those with severe to profound hearing loss.
BTE and Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) hearing aids tend to be prescribed to people with more severe forms of hearing loss. Since the components of these hearing aids are visible in the ear bowl and behind the ear, headphones are likely unsuitable.
Instead, you will need to purchase some Bluetooth hearing aids to listen comfortably or resort to removing your hearing aids entirely.
If you want to wear headphones and lack Bluetooth connectivity, take the time to select your headphone model carefully. The trick is to make sure your headphones fit comfortably over the top of your hearing aid’s microphone.
Not only is this a comfort matter, but you also need the sound from the headphones to go directly into the microphone. Ill-fitting headphones will lead to your hearing aids picking up outside sounds and ruining your hearing experience.
At the same time, you need some room between the headphones and the microphone. Audio feedback is especially problematic for hearing aid wearers. Feedback can become a major problem whenever the sound is too close to the microphone.
What if you wear hearing aids that do not seem compatible with any hearing aid model?
In this case, there are special types of bone-conduction headphones. These headphones do not sit over the ear but in front of it. People who wear ITE hearing aids may also favor these headphones because they do not block incoming sound.
Bone-conduction headphones bypass the problem of knocking your hearing aids out of place. Just make sure your headphones are not rubbing against the hearing aid, as this can lead to pain.
Reading about what happens if you wear headphones too much may make you wonder what you can do to protect your hearing. Remember, when noise exposure damages your hearing, there is no way to naturally restore your original hearing capacity.
Follow these smart tips to protect your hearing.
Volume – Make sure you never exceed 60% of the maximum volume level. Some devices even have warnings or settings to prevent you from increasing the volume above safe hearing levels.
Fit – Your headphones should be snug around the ears. Whenever headphones are too tight, they can cause changes in pressure within the ear bowl and around the ear itself. Improper fitting could lead to acute pain in the side of your head and even within the inner ear.
Time – Like your muscles, your ears also need a break. Avoid wearing your headphones for consecutive hours. Even when listening at a safe volume, your ears can only take so much throughout the day. If you experience any pain while listening, this is a sign your ears need to rest.
Hygiene – Regularly clean your headphone’s pads with a lint-free cloth to prevent bacterial growth. If you experience any allergic reactions, you may also need to switch out your earpads to an alternative material.
Start Safe – Make sure you check to see that your volume is at the lowest setting before turning them on. This can prevent sudden loud sounds via accidental volume change.
Test – Schedule regular ear checkups. Most people only attend a hearing test when they experience problems. An audiologist inspecting both your ears annually can spot the early warning signs of hearing loss and other ear-related medical issues.
Practicing safe listening will ensure that you can listen to music and TV shows safely without damaging your hearing.
While there is no cure for age-related hearing loss, premature hearing loss is becoming a more significant problem. Stave off the risks associated with poor hearing by monitoring the volume and the amount of exposure.
Headphones and earbuds have become such a normal part of daily life that hundreds of millions of people do not realize how much danger they are putting themselves in. We live in a noisier world than ever before. Failing to protect your hearing could lead to a diminished hearing experience later in life.
If you believe you have experienced hearing loss through noise exposure, you may benefit from a pair of state-of-the-art hearing devices. Enlist the help of EarPros to find the best hearing aids for your needs today!
Getting great hearing care does not need to be expensive. Get in touch with EarPros to schedule your free hearing examination with a licensed audiologist and begin your journey to better hearing today.
