How to Prevent Hearing Loss from Headphones?

 There is nothing quite like a great playlist and a pair of hi-tech headphones to get you through even the dullest of days! Yet we have also heard of noise-induced hearing loss. You certainly want to use headphones for the immersive audio experience that they offer without having to compromise on your hearing abilities. Just what are the precautions that you can take to do that? If that’s been the question on your mind, here are 5 handy tips to prevent headphones-induced hearing loss:



(Don’t) Pump up the Jam

This really is the simplest tip. Keep the volume levels low. In fact, this advice isn’t applicable only when you use headphones, but also when you turn on the television or your music player. Listening to loud sounds for a long period of time can overwork the hair cells in your ears, in turn leading to progressive hearing loss if the exposure continues.

The thumb rule to follow is to not exceed 60% of the maximum volume of your player for your hearing safety.

Use Noise-Canceling Headphones

The fear of using headphones that do not offer a noise-canceling feature is that you tend to keep turning the volume of the music up, to block out external sound. Instead, go with active noise-canceling headphones that cancel out external noise and offer you a flawless audio experience. Therefore, you need not rely on high decibel levels to create the auditory experience you desire. If you aren’t using noise-canceling earphones for some reason, the only other option you have, even though it is not very practical, is not to use the earphones in noisy places but to look out for a quiet place.

It stands to reason, of course, that you need to skip using earphones when you are engaging in activities where you need to hear sounds around you, such as when driving a vehicle. This may not have anything to do with your hearing health but can turn out to be life-threatening.

Headphones Not Earbuds

Even though we tend to use the two terms as if they are identical, there is a difference between a headphone and an earbud. Since earbuds sit right inside your ear and are very close to the ear canal, they are known to increase volume and cause greater harm. On the other hand, headphones are perched over your ears and are known to cause far less harm. Also since earbuds do not dull distracting sounds you are far more likely to reach out to the volume button and turn it up, adding to the damage.

Take Listening Breaks

The answer to how to use earphones without damaging ears also lies in taking listening breaks. It is prudent to take a 5-minute break every 30 minutes to maintain your hearing health. Again, these listening breaks aren’t just applicable when you use headphones, but also when you are at noisy venues such as a club.

Set a Limit to the Volume

It may be a good idea to set a limit to the volume on your device settings. That way there is no chance that you can find yourself inadvertently increasing the volume as you groove to your favorite song.

What you are really doing by the above measures is ensuring that the sound levels aren’t:

  • Too loud
  • Won’t last too long
  • Aren’t too close for comfort

Now that really is the answer to your question on “are earphones harmful”. The key to your hearing health as well as the key to stemming headphones-induced hearing loss lies in moderation.


headphones


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Way to Fix the Most Annoying Bluetooth Headphone Problems

Image
  Wireless headphones   are convenient, but they come with a host of tricky troubleshooting problems. Here’s how to fix them all. NOW THAT MOST major flagship phones have done away with the headphone jack,  Bluetooth headphones  are more popular than ever. And while it’s nice that there’s no cord to catch the doorknob when I’m leaving the house, Bluetooth has its own share of quirks. Here are some of the most common issues you may encounter, and how to fix them. First: Narrow Down the Problem Before you start pressing buttons and tweaking settings, see if you can find the source of the problem: It could be your earbuds, sure, but it could also be your phone or even the app you’re using to play music. Pair your headphones with another device and see if they work better—I find my Android phone can be a bit finicky, so I’ll often test headphones on my wife’s iPhone to see if something on my phone is the culprit. You might also try a wired pair of headphones, or plug you...
Read more

Everything you need to know about headphone ear pads

Image
Headphone ear pads, usually referred to as ear cushions or simply pads, are an integral component of headphones. Ear cushions come in a variety of forms and sizes, as well as a variety of materials. All of this can have an impact on how well headphones work and feel. The earpads on your headphones are one of the most critical elements of your headphones. They’re crucial not just for the comfort of the headphones while you’re wearing them, but also for the audio quality coming out of the speakers. Despite their importance, people don’t give them much importance, and even fewer of them, maintain or ensure that they are in good working order. WHY ARE EAR CUSHIONS IMPORTANT? There are a few reasons why the ear cushions on your  headphone earpads  are of great significance. First and foremost, they provide comfort and hold. This implies that good ear pads will snugly fit around your head while providing sufficient padding to rest gently against your ears. The more time you spend us...
Read more

How to Listen to Music without Damaging Your Ears

Image
The pleasure and adrenaline rush of jamming to your favorite rock band music is pretty insane! Agreed. But beyond a certain level, loud music is harmful to your ears and can lead to hearing loss over time. It doesn’t matter whether you’re at a gig or in a club when you’re listening to loud music, any exposure to loud music may damage your hearing. How does sound reach your brain? To know about the dangers of hearing loss, you must first understand how the ears work. Sound waves are picked up by the ears and identified as music, voice, or other recognizable sounds. The outer ear channels sound waves into the ear canal and through the eardrum. The eardrum vibrates as a result of these waves, and the vibrations travel to the middle ear, where tiny bones are located. The sensations are then intensified by the bones and transmitted to the inner ear. Thousands of hair cells in the inner ear sense vibrations. The vibrations are converted to signals by these hairs, which are then transmitted t...
Read more