When we think hearing loss, we think of old people. But as more and more teens are cranking their music full-blast, hearing loss is now becoming more and more prevalent in younger people.
When you buy a new iPod, you get a pair of earbuds. On the earbuds is a warning not to play music loudly, as it can cause hearing loss. Most people ignore this. According to a study from the House Ear Institute, 5.2 million children, aged 6-19 years, have hearing loss. Teens are causing this damage all on their own.
Constant exposure to sounds such as your iPod, car stereo, power tools and even hair dryers can cause hearing damage. But hearing loss is so insignificant, many people don’t even notice. According to a recent article in the New York Times, 1 in 5 teens suffers at least slight hearing loss. This is a significant rise from the former 1 in 7 statistic. Teens surveyed for the study said they played their music at medium to high levels. When asked why, they responded that they liked to be able to tune out the outside world.
The EPA has declared 70 decibels over the course of 24 hours as the safest level to protect the public from hearing loss cause by noise. But constant exposure is not the only cause of hearing loss. A sudden noise can also cause permanent damage. Some other risks besides hearing damage that can result from a lot of noise, or noise pollution, are a rise in blood pressure due to stress. A rise in cholesterol can also occur. If the level of stress is high enough and people are stressed for long periods of time, more serious health conditions such as a higher risk of damage to your cardiovascular system can occur.
Though noise pollution might not seem like much of a risk to teens, the volume of their music is. If you are a person who likes to tune everything out by playing music loudly, an investment in noise canceling headphones may help.
Front Page Image Credit: Alosh Bennett
