Turning up our music to a higher volume is a risky habit. You like the song, you turn it up to enjoy! However there are risks attached that you may be unaware of.
When a person is exposed to loud sounds for a lengthy period of time they are likely to damage their hearing! The loud music can damage sensitive hair cells in the inner ear, which are used to convert sound into signals, which are then interpreted by the brain. If the hairs are repeatedly exposed to loud noise, they can become permanently damaged resulting in hearing loss. Listening to loud music can also cause temporary or in extreme cases permanent Tinnitus; described as causing a ringing, buzzing, humming or whistling noise in the ears.
Some people are affected less by noise than others, some of us are born with tougher ears and can withstand louder sounds, however you don’t know if you are one of these lucky few until your hearing is damaged, so don’t run the risk! Listening to music through headphones increases the likelihood of hearing damage as sound is intensified.
Studies suggest that a person can listen to music through headphones on a typical MP3 player such as an iPod for 4.6 hours a day at 70% volume without causing any damage to their hearing. If a person chose to listen to their music at 100% volume for just 5 minutes they would be likely to suffer from damaged hearing, a scary statistic considering it is such a short period of time.
Further research into the topic is expected to highlight the full extent of the effects that new music technology is having on our hearing. Spreading awareness of the problem is key to preventing a rise in reported cases of hearing loss as a result of listening to loud music.
If you have suffered hearing damage, that was not your fault then visit the What’s My Deafness Claim Worth site and see if you may be entitled to make a hearing loss claim .



