The danger of prolonged headphone use

Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Specialist Asst. Prof. Dr. Remzi Tınazlı says that according to studies, the incidence of hearing loss in adolescents who use headphones for an average of 80 minutes or more per day is 22.3 percent. 

In addition, he warns that the risk of hearing loss for adolescents who use headphones for more than 80 minutes a day is 4.7 times higher than for those who use them for less than 80 minutes a day.

"TURN DOWN THE VOLUME OF YOUR HEADPHONES"

Stating that inner ear-type hearing loss, which used to be a disease of old age, has recently started to be seen more frequently in children and adolescents due to the unconscious use of personal headphones for entertainment, Asst. Prof. Dr. Tınazlı noted that constant exposure to loud noise during headphone use plays a leading role in this. 

Asst. Prof. Dr. Tınazlı underlined that these hearing losses are classified as inner ear-type hearing loss, which is irreversible and progresses with continuous exposure to high decibels. 

Asst. Prof. Dr. Tınazlı said, “Not using headphones in a controlled manner can cause permanent hearing loss. For this reason, the volume level of the headphones we use and the duration of use are very important.” Sharing the information that the human ear can withstand a sound level of 85 decibels for up to 8 hours, Asst. Prof. Dr. Tınazlı stated that hearing loss develops after these levels.

"TINNITUS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY"

Expressing that temporary tinnitus can signal the onset of hearing loss, Tınazlı stated that early diagnosis is of vital importance in the treatment of hearing loss. Tınazlı said, “Because tinnitus usually goes away on its own at the beginning and people cannot yet notice the hearing loss, it is usually taken lightly.

The inner ear, which is damaged every time, cannot repair itself after a while, and as a result, permanent hearing loss develops,” he said.

Stating that unconscious headphone use can also cause significant problems in the outer ear, Asst. Prof. Dr. Remzi Tınazlı noted that headphone tips that are constantly inserted into the ear canal irritate the outer ear canal and invite bacterial infections.

Tınazlı also stated that long-term use of headphones can lead to hygiene problems and, consequently, the development of fungal diseases.

"DO NOT TURN THE HEADPHONE VOLUME UP MORE THAN 60 PERCENT"

Stating that there are many points to consider for ear health, Asst. Prof. Dr. Tınazlı summarized them as follows: “For ear health, it is primarily necessary to avoid noisy environments, and if this is not possible, it is essential to use ear protection plugs. If you are going to listen to music with headphones, the volume of the headphones should not be turned up more than 60 percent and the continuous usage time should not exceed one hour. 

Just like other organs, our ears get tired and need to rest. For this reason, rest breaks must be taken to protect the ears.

Another important point to pay attention to is that one should not fall asleep while listening to music with headphones. When choosing headphones, devices that reduce background noise, can play music at a safe level, and have good sound insulation should be preferred,” he said.