2 minute read
Take A Listening Break
Written by Dr. Michelle Rankin, Au.D., CCC-A
I love wearing headphones that directly connect to my phone during a conversation or while listening to music and podcasts. It’s easy and convenient. However, there is good news and bad news about the risk factors for using them. The bad news is that I like to listen to my music on the loud side. Sometimes when I’m listening or on a phone call and in a noisy environment, I turn up the volume even louder because the noise is interfering with what I want to hear. This is bad because it can cause hearing loss.
The good news is that there are things that can be done to prevent hearing loss from happening. For starters, it’s a good idea to always turn the volume limits on your listening device to 80% or quieter. Some devices let you set the decibel level, which should always be set to 85 dBA or below. Any exposure over 85 dBA can result in hearing loss, depending on the amount of time exposed and the level of the exposure. Also, wearing noisecanceling headphones helps prevent the need to increase the volume because there will be less interference from background noise. Last, but not least, take listening breaks. Your ears need about a 30minute break from direct audio input about every 45 minutes.
If you are concerned you may have a hearing loss, make an appointment with an audiologist to get a hearing test.
