Have you ever lost your earbuds? (Or, perhaps, accidentally left them in the pocket of a sweatshirt that went through the laundry?) Now it’s so boring going for a walk in the morning. Your commute or bus ride is dreary and dull. And your virtual meetings are suffering from bad sound quality.
The old saying “you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” applies here.
So you’re so happy when you finally get a working pair of earbuds. The world is instantly dynamic again, full of music, podcasts, and crystal clear audio. Earbuds have so many uses other than listening to music and a large percentage of individuals utilize them.
Unfortunately, in part because they are so easy and so widely used, earbuds present some significant risks for your hearing. Your hearing might be at risk if you’re wearing earbuds a lot every day.
Why earbuds are unique
It used to be that if you wanted high-quality audio from a set of headphones, you’d have to use a heavy, cumbersome pair of over-the-ear cans (yes, “cans” is jargon for headphones). That isn’t necessarily the situation now. Modern earbuds can provide stunning sound in a very small space. Back throughout the 2010s, smartphone manufacturers popularized these little devices by supplying a pair with every new smartphone purchase (funny enough, they’re rather rare nowadays when you buy a new phone).
These little earbuds (sometimes they even have microphones) began showing up everywhere because they were so high-quality and available. Whether you’re talking on the phone, listening to tunes, or watching Netflix, earbuds are one of the chief ways to do that (whether you are on the go or not).
It’s that mixture of convenience, portability, and reliability that makes earbuds practical in a large number of contexts. Because of this, many consumers use them almost all the time. And that’s become somewhat of a problem.
Vibrations are what it’s all about
Here’s the thing: Music, podcasts, voice calls, they’re all in essence the same thing. They’re simply waves of moving air molecules. It’s your brain that does all the heavy lifting of interpreting those vibrations, organizing one type of vibration into the “music” category and another into the “voice” category.
In this activity, your brain is given a big assist from your inner ear. Inside of your ear are very small hairs known as stereocilia that vibrate when subjected to sound. These are not large vibrations, they’re tiny. Your inner ear is what really identifies these vibrations. At that point, you have a nerve in your ear that converts those vibrations into electrical impulses, and that’s what allows your brain to make heads or tails of it all.
This is important because it’s not music or drums that cause hearing loss, it’s volume. Which means the risk is the same whether you’re listening to Death Metal or an NPR program.
What are the risks of using earbuds?
Because of the appeal of earbuds, the risk of hearing damage as a result of loud noise is quite widespread. Across the globe, more than a billion people are at risk of developing hearing loss, according to one study.
On an individual level, when you utilize earbuds at high volume, you raise your danger of:
- Developing sensorineural hearing loss with repeated exposure.
- Sensorineural hearing loss leading to deafness.
- Hearing loss contributing to mental decline and social isolation.
- Not being capable of communicating with your friends and family without wearing a hearing aid.
There may be a greater risk with earbuds than conventional headphones, according to some evidence. The reason may be that earbuds direct sound right to the most sensitive parts of the ear. Some audiologists think this is the case while others still aren’t sure.
Besides, what’s more relevant is the volume, and any pair of headphones is capable of delivering hazardous levels of sound.
Duration is also a concern besides volume
Perhaps you think there’s a simple fix: I’ll simply lower the volume on my earbuds as I binge my new favorite program for 24 episodes straight. Well… that would be helpful. But there’s more to it than that.
This is because how long you listen is as important as how loud it is. Moderate volume for five hours can be just as damaging as max volume for five minutes.
So here’s how you can be a bit safer when you listen:
- Make use of the 80/90 rule: Listen at 80% volume for no more than 90 minutes. (Want more time? Lower the volume.)
- Many smart devices let you reduce the max volume so you won’t even have to worry about it.
- Activate volume alerts on your device. These warnings can let you know when your listening volume goes a bit too high. Naturally, then it’s up to you to lower your volume, but it’s better than nothing!
- Take regular breaks. It’s best to take frequent and lengthy breaks.
- Stop listening right away if you experience ringing in your ears or your ears begin to ache.
- As a general rule of thumb, only listen to your media at 40-50% volume.
Your ears can be stressed by utilizing headphones, specifically earbuds. So try to cut your ears some slack. Because sensorineural hearing loss normally occurs slowly over time not suddenly. The majority of the time people don’t even recognize that it’s occurring until it’s too late.
Sensorineural hearing loss is permanent
Usually, NHIL, or noise-related hearing loss, is irreversible. When the stereocilia (small hair-like cells in your ears that detect sound) get destroyed by too much exposure to loud sound, they can never recover.
The damage is hardly noticeable, particularly in the early stages, and progresses slowly over time. That can make NIHL difficult to recognize. You might think your hearing is perfectly fine, all the while it’s gradually getting worse and worse.
There is currently no cure or capability of reversing NIHL. But strategies (hearing aids most notably) do exist that can mitigate the impact sensorineural hearing loss can have. These treatments, however, can’t counter the damage that’s been done.
This means prevention is the most useful approach
That’s why so many hearing specialists place a considerable emphasis on prevention. And there are multiple ways to decrease your risk of hearing loss, and to practice good prevention, even while listening to your earbuds:
- If you do need to go into an extremely noisy environment, utilize hearing protection. Use earplugs, for example.
- Limit the amount of damage your ears are encountering while you’re not using earbuds. Avoid excessively loud settings whenever you can.
- Change up the types of headphones you’re using. Simply put, switch from earbuds to other types of headphones now and then. Try using over-the-ear headphones too.
- Schedule regular visits with us to have your hearing tested. We will be able to help you get tested and track the general health of your hearing.
- Many headphones and earbuds include noise-canceling technology, try to use those. This will mean you won’t need to turn the volume quite so high so that you can hear your media clearly.
- When you’re listening to your devices, use volume-limiting apps.
Preventing hearing loss, especially NIHL, can help you safeguard your sense of hearing for years longer. And, if you do wind up needing treatment, such as hearing aids, they will be more effective.
So… are earbuds the enemy?
Well…should I just chuck my earbuds in the trash? Well, no. Especially not if you have those Apple AirPods, those little devices are not cheap!
But it does mean that, if you’re listening to earbuds regularly, you might want to consider varying your approach. These earbuds may be harming your hearing and you might not even realize it. Being aware of the danger, then, is your best defense against it.
When you listen, regulate the volume, that’s the first step. The second step is to consult with us about the state of your hearing right away.
Think you may have damaged your hearing with earbuds? We can help! Get assessed now!