Healthy Hearing Habits

Question

I am a 59-year-old man. What is the recommended listening volume and duration for headphones or earphones? Is there any potential damage to our hearing as a result of listening to music through headphones at levels which are too soft? Also, are there any exercises (Western and/or Eastern) which one may do to maintain good hearing? Finally, what are some general tips to keep our ears in good condition?

Answer

Sound is measured in units called decibels. Sounds of less than 75 decibels, even after long exposure, are unlikely to cause hearing loss. As such you are unlikely to damage your hearing as a result of listening to music at levels that are too soft.

Conversely, exposure to loud sounds can cause irreversible damage to your hearing known as Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). There are 2 types of NIHL. The first type is NIHL due to Acoustic Trauma. This refers to hearing loss from a one time exposure to a sudden and excessive sound pressure, from typically explosive sounds like gunfire and firecrackers. These intense sounds are about 140-150 decibels loud and can cause rupture of the ear drums, damage the tiny bones in the middle ear and also lead to permanent damage of the inner ear (cochlea).

The more common type of NIHL is a gradually developing hearing loss that develops after repeated exposures to loud sounds (over 85 decibels) over a long period of time. This can come from occupational exposure as well as leisure activities such as listening to loud music through headphones or at loud concerts and nightclubs. Many countries have guidelines that insist on hearing protection if there is exposure to noise above 85 decibels for longer than 8 hours a day.

Gradually developing NIHL is an entirely preventable problem and one that is becoming more prevalent. A study published earlier this year in the Singapore Medical Journal, found that at least one in six Singapore youth risk losing their hearing because of listening to loud music played on their portable players. The National Institutes of Health also estimates that in the United States, approximately 15% of Americans aged 20-69, or 26 million Americans, have hearing loss that may be due to noise exposure at work or through leisure related activities.

NIHL generally leads to loss of hearing ability at the higher frequencies more than the lower frequencies. Typically the worst affected hearing sensitivities are at the 3, 4 and 6 KHz range. This leads to inability to hear some sounds like birds chirping. Signs that you may have NIHL include hearing muffled speech and sounds, frequently asking others to speak loudly and slowly, difficulty in deciphering what people say when in a noisy environment and having to turn up the volume of the radio and television to hear. There may also be a ringing or humming sound in your ear called tinnitus.

The best way to prevent NIHL is to avoid exposure to loud noises. This means avoiding noises that are too loud, too close or last too long. As a general guideline, use personal listening devices for a maximum of 60 minutes a day. Use noise cancelling headphones as these block background noise and so you will be less likely to turn up the sound volume. Lower the sound volume – the person sitting next to you should not be able to hear what you are listening to. And if someone has to shout for you to hear him, your music volume is too loud. For those who go to concerts and nightclubs, stay away from the loud speakers and take regular breaks from the noise. While there are no special exercises (Western or Eastern) that maintain your ears in good condition and hearing, keeping these habits will.