How Bad Are iPods for Your Hearing?

[Black Phantom]

Turn it down folks. This will become an even greater problem in the coming years. Volumes are way too loud to be healthy.
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Hearing loss is more common than ever before. About 16% of American adults have an impaired ability to hear speech, and more than 30% of Americans over age 20 — an estimated 55 million people — have lost some high-frequency hearing, according to a new study published Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The finding has got experts — and concerned parents — wondering anew: Does listening to loud music through headphones lead to long-term hearing loss? Brian Fligor, director of diagnostic audiology at Children's Hospital Boston, explains how much damage your headphone habit might cause — and how to mitigate your risk.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/art....html?iid=sphere-inline-sidebar#ixzz0x40AJQ5h

 

[ctenidae]

Probably not any worse than my Walkman was.

 

[wa-loaf]

Time to start investing in hearing aid companies.

 

[WakeboardMom]

Probably not any worse than my Walkman was.

I thought the same thing...my husband has hearing loss from listening to Who's Next (vinyl) using old school headphones...

The one thing that I think is different from his experience, and perhaps yours as well, is the amount of time that kids are "plugged in."

 

[ctenidae]

I thought the same thing...my husband has hearing loss from listening to Who's Next (vinyl) using old school headphones...

The one thing that I think is different from his experience, and perhaps yours as well, is the amount of time that kids are "plugged in."

I actually hate listening to music (or anything else) with headphones on. Not being able to hear what's going on around me is worse than not being able to see what's around me. I just don't like the sensation of being cut off from my surroundings. I can't even mow the lawn with headphones on.

 

[mondeo]

I actually hate listening to music (or anything else) with headphones on. Not being able to hear what's going on around me is worse than not being able to see what's around me. I just don't like the sensation of being cut off from my surroundings. I can't even mow the lawn with headphones on.

Turn the volume down, then. I listen to a Zune (so apparently I'm in the clear, anyways,) at work given my need to constantly be listening to music, but have it down enough so I can still hear everything going on around me.

Only thing I crank it up for is running on a treadmill, at which point I want to be cut off from the world around me.

 

[wa-loaf]

I actually hate listening to music (or anything else) with headphones on. Not being able to hear what's going on around me is worse than not being able to see what's around me.

I run with music on, but i keep it really low. Cars usually drown out the music when they drive by.

I can't even mow the lawn with headphones on.

That sounds like a good way to get hearing damage. You'd really have to crank it up to get over the lawnmower noise.

 

[Philpug]

what?

 

[ctenidae]

That sounds like a good way to get hearing damage. You'd really have to crank it up to get over the lawnmower noise.

Yeah, but I can still hear ambient noise over the lawnmower, and headphones, even on "normal" volumes, would stop that.

In any case, I think that "kids these days" are definitely plugged in more than they ought to be, and not because of hearing loss.

They should all get off my lawn, too.

 

[RootDKJ]

Probably not any worse than my Walkman was.

I thought the same thing...my husband has hearing loss from listening to Who's Next (vinyl) using old school headphones...

The one thing that I think is different from his experience, and perhaps yours as well, is the amount of time that kids are "plugged in."

I lived with my walkman on when I was a kid. Recently had my hearing checked and it was better then average.

 

[mondeo]

I lived with my walkman on when I was a kid. Recently had my hearing checked and it was better then average.

That's because you stimulated the growth of your hearing muscles during your developmental stages.

 

[ctenidae]

I lived with my walkman on when I was a kid. Recently had my hearing checked and it was better then average.

Maybe they grew into your ear canals like some mutant cyborg thing and gave you super hearing.
That'd be pretty cool, excep the orange foam pads probably clash with most clothes.

 

[Glenn]

Rad.....

 

[drjeff]

Rad.....

Oh yah! just bring it!!!

 

[wa-loaf]

Dynamite!

 

[riverc0il]

I used to listen to my walkman everyday of high school. Full volume. You don't like it, too bad (oh wait, that's a different thread...). Anyways, I hear better than most.

And for the record, sony sport walkmans were THE BEST. Used to run with those in college. I officially endorsed them to any one who would listen.

 

[Hawkshot99]

That sounds like a good way to get hearing damage. You'd really have to crank it up to get over the lawnmower noise.

I have some noise canceling headphones with built in speakers for mowing. Don't need to crank them up and cant hear my mower. Listening to a mower all day drives me crazy!:angry: But these things were kinda expensive....

 

[darent]

never used a walkman or I-pod, all it took was a tour in the army and power tools, my hearing sucks

 

[dmc]

I use noise cancelling headphones(Bose) on planes.. Lot's of noise on those things.. I also carry earplugs in my work pack - I sometimes end up in data centers which can get really loud.

I have specialized ear plugs for drumming - I don't always need them. Really depends on the band.. Generally drummers are behind the line of amps so it's usually not bad..

I also carry ear plugs to concerts. But again - I don't always use them - depends on the band and where I am.

I had one of the SportsWalkman - loved that thing... Still got it somewhere..

 

[Glenn]

This thing was hawt s__ in our house sometime in the mid/late 80's:

It was similar to this one. The first walkman's didn't have the FM/AM tuner built in. You had to take out the tape and insert that tape radio looking thing. You'd then be able to listen to the radio. It seems so silly now...but back then, it was rad.