Are You Damaging Your Ability to Hear On a Daily Basis?
Over the past decade and a half, mobile devices have allowed consumers to do more and more on-the-go. Yearly advances in portable tech allow you to read, watch and listen to just about anything on your smartphone or tablet while you commute to work or wait in line at the coffee shop. However, given the novelty of mobile tech, we’re only just starting to learn the long term affects that its use can have on the average consumer.
Studies have recently found that use of in-ear headphones (known commonly as earbuds) can have detrimental affects on one’s ability to hear. According to a press release by the World Health Organization (WHO), “some 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of hearing loss due to the unsafe use of personal audio devices, including smartphones”. Likewise, Harvard Medical School’s Eaton Peabody Laboratory has recently reported that unsafe use of personal audio devices could cause the loss of up to 90 percent of the ear’s cochlear nerve fibres, causing severe damage to parts of the inner ear.
Luckily, the WHO provided recommendations for those worried by their startling findings:
- Keep the volume down on personal devices
- Use noise-cancelling earphones/headphones NOT earbuds
- Take listening breaks
- Restrict the use of personal audio devices to less than an hour
Despite the many benefits of mobile audio experiences — whether used to block out the noise of your office or to make the most of your commute time by listening to an educational audiobook — the fact is that hearing loss can affect mental health, as well as educational and employment prospects.
Ensure that you are using your technology safely! To learn more about informed use of your technology, be sure to visit Veltec Networks online or contact us today at (408) 849-4441 or info@veltecnetworks.com.
