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In Kenya, millions of people listen to music through their earphones or headphones for more extended hours while walking, working, and eating, or doing chores. Most teenagers and youths do this because they consider it fashionable.
However cool it may seem to have your earphones on, there are some risks that your ears might get damaged. So, how does prolonged use of earphones damage your hearing?
First, I came across the term, decibels, defined by Google as 'a unit used to measure the intensity of a sound or the power level of an electrical signal by comparing it with a given level on a logarithmic scale.'
Research shows any sound above 85 decibels is capable of damaging your hearing. This means that if you listen to loud music above 85 decibels for longer hours, your chances of damaging your hearing are higher than listening in low volume.
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According to Dr. Vikas, "Low pitched, soothing sounds like that of drums, acoustic guitars, tabla and other instruments are not harmful. But high pitched instruments of heavy metal can damage hearing within a short period of time."
Noises above 110 decibels can strip away myelin sheath from the nerve cells, which hinders the delivery of electrical signals from the ears to the brain. Damaging your hearing can be permanent if it is done this way. Ear Infections can also affect your brain.
Damaging your hearing can be a gradual process. Prolonged use of earphones develops excessive wax in the ear, and after some time, you will experience hearing loss, which will eventually lead to your hearing's permanent damage.
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Also, other people get dizzy due to the increased pressure in the ear canal as a result of listening to loud music. If you are a fan of listening to music via earphones, you'd better do it in very low volume and for a short time.
To avoid damaging your ears, try the following tips;
1. Always listen to music at a less than 80 percent maximum of the volume.
2. Do not listen to music using earphones for more than 90 minutes.
3. Don't force the ears buds into the canal
4. Buy new earphones; avoid second-hand ones.
