Is Loud Music Making Us Comfortably Numb?

"You are only coming through in waves,
Your lips move,
But I can't hear what you are saying"
- Pink Floyd 'Comfortably Numb'

A study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests hearing loss among U.S. adolescents aged 12 to 19 has increased significantly in recent decades.

Researchers in the Department of Medicine at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston analyzed the results of hearing tests done as part of one National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 1988 and 1994 and another done between 2005 and 2006. They noticed an increase of about 30 per cent in cases of hearing loss in the second group compared to the first.

According to Statistics Canada, more than one million adults across the country reported having a hearing-related disability, a number more than 50% greater than the number of people reporting problems with their eyesight . Other studies indicate that the true number may reach three million or more Canadian adults, as those suffering from hearing problems often under-report their condition.

Hearing loss is not just an age-related disability; it is affecting people at younger and younger ages. A study for WorkSafe BC found that 25% of young people entering the workforce had the early warning signs of hearing loss, with a further 4.6% showing “abnormal” results on hearing tests.

The cost of hearing loss to the Canadian economy could be in the tens of billions of dollars. A 2006 Australian study estimated that costs to that nation’s economy from hearing loss amounted to CAD$10.6 billion per year. On a per capita basis, this could mean a Canadian equivalent of almost $18-billion per year.

According to the Hearing Foundation of Canada the key to improving our hearing is education. In one study within 7 years of beginning a hearing loss education program in Norway hearing loss in 18 year olds was cut from 35% to 15%.

In the end though common sense needs to prevail! According to Gael Hannan of The Hearing Foundation “ If you’re listening to music with headphones and you cannot listen to what your friend is saying, it’s too loud. ”

IPods and MP3 players can be especially bad for hearing loss. According to Health More 4 Kids there are three main dangers with portable music players:

• Volume level. Sounds louder than 80-85 decibels are potentially dangerous to your hearing, and exposure to sounds above 90-95 decibels for extended periods of time causes hearing loss. At maximum volume, iPods put out music at up to 120 decibels, about as loud as a jet taking off.
• Type of headphone. Because the earbud headphones that typically come with iPods and other mp3 players are placed directly into the ear, they can boost the sound signal by as much as six to nine decibels.
• Length of time used.  With batteries that last up to 12 hours and storage for hundreds of songs, iPod players can hook themselves up and listen to music for hours at a time. At moderate volume levels, this length of time will likely not cause any damage. But at 100-105 decibels, hearing damage can occur in eight to 15 minutes.

Health More 4 Kids recommends:

• Make sure your children set the volume level at no more than 70-80% of maximum.
• Buy your children a set of noise-isolating or sound-canceling earphones with custom sleeves. These may not be as stylish or cool as earbuds, but they will block out background noise so your children will be able to set their volume lower.
• Limit how many hours your children listen to their iPod or MP3 player. With the volume at 70-80% of maximum, you child can safely listen for about an hour a day. If they want to listen longer, tell them they need to turn the volume down even more: with the volume set at or below 50% of maximum, they should be able to listen for as long as they like without causing hearing damage.
• Have your children’s hearing tested regularly by a licensed audiologist. Visit the audiologist sooner if you notice any changes to your children’s hearing. During the test, ask about ways to reduce your children’s risk of hearing loss.

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Sources: The Globe and Mail, The Hearing Foundation of Canada, Pink Floyd, Health More 4 Kids