Published
Portable music players like iPods, mp3 & mp4 players can cause short-term hearing loss.
One in six Australians is affected by hearing loss. National and international research shows that listening to portable music players at significantly high volumes and for long periods of time can potentially cause short-term hearing loss and may even contribute to long-term damage.
Damage to hearing is irreversible so here are some tips if you regularly use your portable music player:
- Check with a friend if your music is too loud. If they can hear it through your headphones, then your music is too loud.
- Keep the volume low enough so you can still hear what’s happening around you.
- Consider reducing the length of time you listen to your portable music player.
- Consider using head phones that sit over the ears instead of inside the ear canals.
- Wherever possible, use docking stations or other music players to listen to your music.
- Invest in good quality ear phones so that you don’t have to turn the volume significantly up in order to hear your music.
- Seek medical advice if you feel your ears are ringing or hurting, or if the sounds you’re hearing are slightly muffled.