

If none of the above are an option for you, something as simple as taking breaks from your headphones can help prevent headphone-induced hearing loss.

The distance from sound to eardrum may be minimal between headphones and earbuds, but it's crucial in the long run. "Headphones," on the other hand, refers to the kind of devices that sit over your ears, usually covering the entire ear.

"Earbuds" refers to the small, usually silicone or hard plastic, devices that sit snugly in your ear. Though the two terms are used interchangeably, headphones and earbuds aren't really the same thing.
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Using headphones instead of ear buds can help you keep the volume lower, but still allow you to enjoy your music. You can also try active noise-canceling headphones, which work by constantly monitoring the sounds around you and generating soundwaves that directly cancel out the external noise. You can try passive noise-canceling headphones, which work mainly via a design that limits outside sounds, like high-density foam headphones that seal your ear from external sounds. To combat that perpetual increase in volume, try wearing noise-canceling headphones. If you're like many people, you wear headphones to drown out other sounds - and keep turning the volume up as external sounds get louder. For instance, I wear Aftershokz, and I can still hear the music when I turn my iPhone ( $499 at Apple) volume down. Make an effort to keep volumes from other sources low, too, such as when you watch TV at home.Īlso, if you feel like you can't get the volume low enough, check to make sure your headphones don't have a separate volume control. Honestly, it's that easy: Just turn down the volume coming through your headphones or earbuds. If you're concerned about hearing loss, you can try out a few different simple steps to reduce your risk of damage from headphones. You can still listen to music through your beloved headphones, but take some precautions to preserve your hearing. And now, aside from noisy occupations, concerts and sporting events, public health officials are concerned about one other big culprit: headphones. Many people experience hearing loss caused by repeated exposure to loud noises. Now, more and more young people are showing signs of noise-induced hearing loss, and nearly one in four US adults is affected. Noise-induced hearing loss has always been a risk of certain professions, such as construction and military. You know that listening to loud music can damage your ears, but just how loud can you crank up the volume on your AirPods ( $115 at Amazon) before increasing your risk of hearing loss?Ī pair of headphones and a good playlist can serve as an ultimate focus tool to a simple pleasure, but it turns out that the very thing you turn to headphones for - sound - could be the thing that prevents you from listening in the future.
