Personal music devices like iPods and other MP3 players can generate
sound levels up to 115 decibels, well above the highest level of 85 decibels
thereby leading to permanent hearing loss, say experts.
“Unfortunately, children who
suffer noise-induced hearing loss from these devices are risking permanent
damage that will affect them as adults and for their entire lives,” said Dr.
Sancak Yuksel, otorhinolaryngologist, Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital,
and assistant professor, The University of Texas Health Science Center at
Houston (UTHealth).
Hearing loss occurs when the hair
cells in the inner ear are damaged. Sudden or prolonged damage can lead to
permanent hearing loss or complete deafness.
“Aside from the intensity of the
sound or a noise, my concern is how long the person is exposed to that sound or
noise,” Yuksel said.
While everyone is susceptible to
hearing loss, Yuksel worries that children risk more long-term issues when they
don’t fully complete their speech and learning development. He estimates 15
percent of children under age 18 suffer some sort of noise-induced hearing
loss.
“Basically, everyone should avoid
noises that are too loud, too close or last too long,” he stated.
People who attend a rock concert
for longer than an hour at a sustained 115-decibel level can suffer damage to
the inner ear. The result could be a temporary threshold shift (a brief loss of
hearing) or tinnitus (a ringing in the ears). Most individuals tend to recover
from these conditions; however, those with prolonged damage could suffer
permanent hearing loss or ear ringing.
Yuksel suggests using ear plugs
to minimize the effects of loud sounds. Some ear plugs can reduce sound by
20-30 decibels, while more expensive headphones can reduce sound even more.
Source: ANI
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