Loss of Hearing

Posts Tagged ‘Ipod’

Tinnnitus, technically, is “ringing in the ear”.
Having said that, any high volume input directly to the ear can cause permanent hearing loss….which is a cause of ringing in the ears.
Using an iPod with reasonable care should not directly cause an increase in tinnitus, but will everyone who uses an iPod exercise the proper amount of caution? Doubtful……..

depends on what kind of aids you have. Behind the ear aids can have the option of having a direct audio input that allows a cord to be plugged into hearing aid and other end can be plugged into computer, TV, ipods, cd players any audio jack on equipment. If you current aids do not have this option whenever you are in the market for a new pair make sure you ask for it.
There are probably some options for it to work through a telecoil, but I have never tried anything specific. found this http://www.harriscomm.com/catalog/produc… I have used a similar product with cell phones and it works great with behind the ear devices. Not sure if the design works well with in the ear aids or not. For in the ear aids a similar product with a neck loop with probably work better. This site harris comm you can buy from, but other places only sell to audiologists. So you may want to go to an audiologist and see what else might be available.

The good news is that iPODs are a great product, they’re cool, and they bring a lot of joy. People can be pretty fanatic about their iPOD. They say it opens up a whole new world of sound to them. It’s not just kids either. I have friends in their 40’s and 50’s who can’t part with it and have unabashedly declared their addiction to their iPOD. I even have one older friend who swears he can suddenly hear better out of his impaired left ear when wearing his iPOD with earbuds.

Now we all know the bad news too. Experts are warning us that using MP3 Players in general, and iPODs in particular, can potentially cause significant hearing loss over time. Noise induced hearing loss is not isolated to music of course. Sudden loud noise such as a gun firing or an explosion at close range can wreak havoc on the auditory system. In this situation, the exposure to noise is brief but the ear does not have time to sense the sudden trauma and protect itself; thus damage occurs. This is evident when ringing in the ears is present after the event.

Another common noise induced hearing loss is the result of exposure to significant noise levels over an extended period of time. The loudness that creates the damage may not seem excessive to some people; perhaps the sound of a loud truck, a vacuum cleaner, or machines in a factory. When exposed to these sounds the ear will to some extent attempt to protect itself, but over a prolonged period of time, it fatigues and damage occurs. The damage occurs gradually and is generally not noticeable until it is too late. So, basically hearing loss can result from exposure to loud sounds (sounds over 120 decibels for instance) or exposure to less intense noise over a period of time (85 decibels for more than an hour).

A couple of additional features of our glorious iPOD create concerns for those involved in caring for our hearing. One is the earbud style headphones which move the source of sound closer to the structures which allow us to hear. These earbuds actually increase the sound by 6-9 decibels over the traditional over-the-ear headphones. Thus, they give us louder listening and greater risk of damage. In addition, the fact that the iPOD can hold and play thousands of songs and hours of music ensures that we are listening for prolonged periods of time. So, you guessed it, even if we turn the volume down a bit, we can still have damage due to the prolonged listening.

So, are you ready to give up your iPOD? No, I didn’t think so. Most of us have figured out that just about everything potentially causes damage to our fragile bodies and the goal is to act responsibly while still enjoying ourselves. So here are just a few common sense things to help you listen responsibly:

• Dial the volume down to 6 or lower

• Use over-the-ear headphones versus earbuds

• Limit listening to no more than 1 hour at a time (less if listening level is at a 110 dB or higher)

• Listen to your iPOD via an external device without earphones when possible (at home with an iHome device)

• Avoid using your iPOD to drown out other loud noises

Apple blessed us with these wonderful little devices, but don’t lose your hearing for the love of iPOD.

Many people have been suffering from hearing problems since the introduction of iPod and other portable music devices. One of the reasons that the iPod stands out among its competitors is that it is one of the loudest portable music players available right now.
The loudness also becomes a vice as people use iPods music capabilities to its full extent, paying little or no attention to the effects frequent loud music can have on their hearing.
If you frequently listen to your iPod at a high volume it can cause Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. The effects of noise-induced hearing loss can be temporary or permanent. The symptoms increase when a person is frequently exposed to loud noises for a long period of time. Prevention is the only cure for noise-induced hearing loss. Here are a few tips to help take care of your ears while listening to your iPod.
Use noise canceling or sound-isolating headphones. The earphones that come with iPods are hazardous because they fit directly into the ear. These earphones boost sound by as much as nine decibels. You have the equivalent to the sound of a lawnmower going directly into your ear. Since the earphones do not fit snugly into the ear, it is possible for background noise to interfere with the music.
The listener has to turn the music up louder make up for the extra noise in the background. Turning up the music helps the listener hear the full range of the music by drowning out any extra noise. Sound-isolating headphones fit snugly into the ear so that background noises cannot be heard over the music. This way, the music can be kept at safe volume.
Turn the volume down. Many people listen to their iPod at a higher volume than is necessary to hear the music well. People are good at turning the music up when they cannot hear it well. Most are not as adept at turning it down once the background noise has subsided. When there is not any noise in the background, turn the music down a couple of notches to see if you can still hear it well.
If the lower volume sounds fine, leave it there. This a good practice to follow even if you do not have the music turned up because of background noise. Since the length of time you listen to loud music is a factor in hearing loss you should periodically test a lower volume level.
Use your ears wisely. Theres something about music that just makes it sound better when its louder. The thing to be careful about with noise is that you do not listen to it too loud for too long too frequently. Ask yourself, Do I have to have it up this loud? You really do not have to listen to every song at the louder settings. Listening to a few songs at a lower volume will make the one song you absolutely must listen to loudly more enjoyable. Think of it as an indulgence while you are on a diet.
Know your family history. If your family has a history of hearing loss, then you are more at risk for hearing problems as well. Loud music for lengthy periods of time will only increase the probability of hearing problems. If your family has a history of hearing problems, you should take extra precautions to preserve your hearing.
Get your hearing checked. This is the only way to accurately gauge your current level of hearing. Having your ears checked will give an early warning to hearing loss. You should have your hearing checked around the same time that you have your eyes checked. This way your doctor can measure the change from visit to visit. If a negative change in hearing is detected, your doctor may be able to give you treatment to improve your hearing or preservation tips to keep it from getting worse.
Quit smoking. Smokers already have a chance of hearing loss than non-smokers. Listening to loud music increases those chances. Being able to listen to your music worry-free is one of many reasons to quit smoking.
Having an iPod is like having a fast car: the speedometer may go up to 220, but the speed limit only allows you to go 70 for your safety. Just because the iPod can play music loudly does not mean you have to listen to that way. Protect your hearing because once its gone, you may never get it back.