Do Earbuds Cause Hearing Loss

These days, smartphones allow you to listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks, and more wherever you are. Advances in earbuds and headphones let you tune in almost anytime. As a result, lots of people are listening to their earbuds at high volumes for many hours per day. But is all of this noise safe?

While it's possible to use earbuds safely, lots of people unknowingly put themselves at risk for hearing loss. This is because hearing loss can be caused by listening to things that are too loud or for too long - even when the volume isn't very high.

So, exactly how loud is too loud? And when should you take your earbuds out to give your ears a rest? Keep reading to learn how earbuds can affect your hearing.

Are earbuds bad for your ears?

Whether earbuds are bad for your ears depends on how you use them. If earbuds are used the right way, they can be perfectly safe.

But unfortunately, it's all too easy to use them incorrectly - and put your hearing at risk.

Imagine you're walking down a loud street, listening to music through your earbuds. It's natural to turn up the volume to hear your music over the bustling sounds of the street. Or you might leave your earbuds in to listen to music for hours on end while doing other activities. While these habits may not seem like a big deal, they can both put you at risk for hearing loss.

Your risk depends on two things: how loud you listen and how long you listen. For example, listening to music at 105 decibels (dB) can cause permanent hearing loss in as little as 15 minutes - 105 dB is roughly as loud as a subway car. On the other hand, if you listen at just 75 dB - about the volume of an average vacuum cleaner - you can safely listen to anything for over 16 hours.

Most people use earbuds at volumes between 75 dB and 105 dB, so how dangerous they are depends on how loud and how long you use them.

How does noise damage your hearing?

Your inner ear contains thousands of tiny hairs called stereocilia. These hairs help your body convert sound waves into chemical reactions that your brain interprets as noise. When your ears are exposed to sounds that are too loud or for too long, these stereocilia can become damaged, potentially leading to hearing loss.

What hearing problems can result from wearing earbuds?

Earbuds can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NHL). Noise-induced hearing loss is exactly what it sounds like - it's what happens when too much noise causes you to lose your ability to hear.

NHL is a type of sensorineural hearing loss, meaning your ears have a problem sensing and transmitting sounds (as opposed to conductive hearing loss, where a physical blockage interferes with hearing).

NHL can happen in two ways: suddenly or over time. Sudden hearing loss happens when you hear a short, loud noise. This can happen at volumes of about 140 dB, which is the volume of a nearby siren or gunshot. But most earbuds don't get this loud, so it's rare for them to cause sudden NHL.

Gradual NHL happens after years and years of listening to volumes that are just a bit too loud. Most people who get NHL from earbuds get it this way. Because gradual NHL happens so slowly, some people don't notice the hearing loss until it's too late.

And unfortunately, you can't typically reverse hearing loss from headphones or earbuds.

If you use earbuds, what hearing loss symptoms should you watch for?

If you're worried about noise-induced hearing loss from your earbuds, watch out for the following symptoms:

• Sounds seem distorted or muffled

• Difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds

• Trouble understanding people, especially in loud or crowded places like restaurants or parties

• Difficulty hearing someone over the phone

• Difficulty telling the difference between certain sounds (like not telling the difference between the letters "s" and "f")

• Needing to turn up the volume very high on the TV or radio

• Frequently asking others to speak up, to speak more clearly, or repeat themselves

• Certain sounds irritate you or are even painful

• A ringing in your ears, known as tinnitus

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should see your primary care provider to schedule a hearing test.

How can you prevent hearing loss from using earbuds?

The best way to prevent hearing loss from earbuds is to turn the volume down. If your volume is low enough, you don't have to worry about how long you use your earbuds. A good rule of thumb is to see if you can hear a normal conversation while wearing your earbuds. If you can, your volume is probably at a safe listening level.

Most modern smartphones also include headphone safety features to help protect your hearing. By using these features, you can limit the volume coming from your earbuds. This is helpful because you'll never have to wonder if your volume is too high ever again - your phone simply won't allow your earbuds to get too loud.

Here's how to set up volume limits on your smartphone:

• For iPhone users: In settings, find the "Headphone Safety" feature and click "Reduce Loud Sounds."

• For Android users: Go to the "Sounds and Vibration" settings and choose "Media Volume Limit."

The World Health Organization recommends setting the volume levels to 80 dB or below, or about 60% of the maximum possible volume. You can also access these features with parental controls to limit the volume on your child's device.

Can noise-canceling earbuds protect your ears?

Possibly. People often listen to music at dangerously high volumes to drown out environmental noise. But noise-canceling earbuds automatically cancel out most environmental noise. This means you don't need to turn the volume up as high, making it safer for your ears.

Which is better for your ears: Earbuds or headphones?

Because earbuds fit inside your ear canal, lots of people think they can cause more hearing loss than headphones.

But the truth is that it doesn't matter whether you use earbuds or headphones. Neither is more dangerous than the other. The only things that matter when it comes to hearing loss are volume levels, and time. It doesn't matter what's making the noise.

That said, headphones can sometimes be safer than earbuds because they often block outside noise better. Many headphones cover your entire ear, which muffles noise from the outside world (even if they aren't technically noise-canceling). This lets you listen at lower volumes, which can help protect your hearing.

Should you be worried about radiation exposure from wireless earbuds?

The short answer is no. Like cell phones and televisions, wireless Bluetooth earbuds emit radiofrequency radiation. But radiofrequency radiation is both low frequency and low energy. This means it's not powerful enough to damage DNA. (High-energy radiation, like X-rays and radon, can damage DNA.)

While the human body does absorb radiofrequency radiation, the amount is not enough to negatively affect you in any way. According to the National Cancer Institute, there are no "dangerous health effects on the human body from radiofrequency radiation." In other words, you can use earbuds without worrying about radiation.