Loud music listened to in headphones or in clubs is damaging the hearing of adolescents who risk permanent ear damage and premature aging of the sense
Will we all go deaf? Perhaps. To sound the alarm British Medical JournalGlobal Health with an analysis in which he concludes that over a billion teenagers and young people are potentially at risk of hearing loss due to the heavy use of headphones and earphones at high volume and the attendance of places with very loud music. We estimated – the scientists write that 0.67 to 1.35 billion people aged 12 to 34 worldwide are likely engaging in unsafe listening practices comment Lauren Dillard, lead author of the study.
Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 33 scientific articles concerning unsafe listening practices published between 2000 and 2021 in three databases. Unsafe practices were tracked based on the use of headphones and attendance at entertainment venues, such as concerts, bars and clubs. Mum and dad aren’t enough to yell: Turn down the volume, you’ll go deaf!. Kids often don’t realize the risks they face because they don’t know it. The results obtained have therefore prompted the scientists to make an appeal to governments around the world to prioritize safe listening policies with the aim of safeguarding hearing health, especially of the younger generations.
What happens to the ear
Exposure to loud sound can strain the sensory cells and structures in the ear. With very loud noise, the is automatically activated auger protection: the stapes, last in the chain of the ear ossicles, pumps less sound into the cochlea, limiting the damage as much as possible. And this is the reason why, when we leave a disco or a concert, our ears are plugged, he explains L
uca Casatiotorhinolaryngologist, medical director at the North Milan healthcare company.
When this process goes on too long they can take over permanent damage how hearing loss,tinnitus
or both. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that oMore than 430 million people worldwide currently suffer from disabling hearing loss. Young people are particularly vulnerable due to the use of personal listening devices such as smartphone, headphones and earphones and due to the fact that they frequent places where loud music is played (discos, concerts) more assiduously.
When decibels become dangerous
Prolonged exposure to sounds starting dat 85 decibels it could already cause hearing damage
. Those who listen to music with headphones, according to the study, choose often even volumes between 105 and 112 decibels. Over 130 decibels we have the pain reflex and hearing damage can be immediate Presumably if our kids don’t get to pain, otherwise they would realize it, we are talking about volumes between 85 and 130 decibels adds Casati
. Normal speech is usually at the level of 40 decibels (60 when speaking aloud, perhaps during a conference) while the noise of city traffic or a speeding train are sounds that are between 65 and 80 decibels . When instead you in disco or at a rock concert or listening to music with earphones, usually the sound reaches and often exceeds 90 decibels. In these cases, if you listen to loud music for more than half an hour, you already run the risk of damaging your hearing. Prolonged exposure to noise promotes the decline of high frequencies – explains Luca Casati – which fortunately are not those used in communication, but nonetheless help us to understand speech in noisy environments. Those who suffer from a deficit in acute frequencies find it difficult to hear conversations if there are noises around. Today we see this problem of premature aging in a few cases in those who have worked in very noisy environments, but it is probable that our children too will encounter this problem starting from the age of 50.
How to prevent hearing loss
When you hear a ringing in your ear (defense signal) it’s a very clear signal that the music is too loud and this often happens at concerts. How can the problem be prevented? Anyone who listens to music with earphones knows that many devices in use today allow you to monitor the listening volume and signal with a red alert when the decibels are too high. However, often kids don’t pay attention to it and in any case they tend not to lower the volume to cover background noise (for example when walking around a busy street or on the subway) says Casati. Some advanced devices not only signal, but prevent you from turning up the volume if you’re exaggerating. There are some headphones on the market that reduce background noise and this can help keep volumes down.
However, it is not always possible to independently control the volume. When you’re at a concert or in a particularly noisy place, fine protect your hearing by staying away from the speakers or in any case trying to take breaks away from the noise. To cushion you can put earplugs concludes the expert.
November 17, 2022 (change November 17, 2022 | 15:24)
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