I ♥ My IPod

 How often do you listen to your MP3 Player or IPod?  Do you like to put on your headphones and crank up the volume on your favorite song? Do you like to put on your headphones and crank up the volume on your favorite song? Can others hear your music before they see you? Can others hear your music before they see you?

If you answered yes to the last two questions, you may want to consider adjusting your IPod or MP3 player usage.

The usage of portable music players has become a part of our everyday lives. In fact, an estimated 22 million Americans own an IPod. We often incorporate it into normal daily routines such as: studying, exercising, commuting, and in our spare time

Listening to music can be an enjoyable experience that often helps us complete our daily tasks and routines. However, one must consider some of the risks that we are exposed to as we listen to our favorite tunes..

What is at risk? Adverse long-term effects could result from improper usage of headphones and excessive volume. The following items are compromised:  Hearing  Safety

While portable music players are a source that hold our music, the main culprits that put music enthusiasts at risk are:  Headphones  Volume

So, what does this have to do with your music? To begin to understand the effects that loud music can have on our hearing, we must have an understanding of how our hearing works…

The Human Ear The ear is made up of three different sections: 1.Outer Ear 2.Middle Ear 3.Inner Ear

How It All Works Basic Process of Human Hearing How It All Works Basic Process of Human Hearing  When we are exposed to a noise the sound travels down the ear canal. When the sound waves hit the eardrum in the middle ear, the eardrum starts to vibrate.  When the eardrum vibrates, it moves three tiny bones in your ear. These bones are called the hammer (or malleus), anvil (or incus), and stirrup (or stapes). They help sound move along on its journey into the inner ear.  The vibrations then travel to the cochlea, which is filled with liquid and lined with cells that have thousands of tiny hairs on their surfaces. There are two types of hair cells: the outer and inner cells.

The process continues…  The sound vibrations make the tiny hairs move. The outer hair cells take the sound information, amplify it (make it louder), and tune it. The inner hair cells send the sound information to your hearing nerve, which then sends it to your brain, allowing you to hear

Now that we understand how hearing works let’s discuss how loud music can impact it. While listening to music, the tiny hairs on the innermost part of the cochlea sway back and forth in fluid as the sound waves hit our eardrums. However, if the sound is too loud, these hairs sway too far and can get damaged. This results in damage to the hearing and could also lead to hearing loss. The hairs of the cochlea are responsible for sound clarity. Once these hairs are damaged they do not grow back.

So what’s the big deal ? Headphones are placed closely to our ears thus exposing us to the loud sounds that can damage our hearing. Additionally, many people use earbuds when listening to portable music players. Since earbuds are placed directly into the ear this further puts its user at risk for hearing damage. Furthermore, some audiologists warn that the use of earbuds could boost the sound signal by as much as six to nine decibels.

What is a decibel?  A decibel is a unit of measurement used to indicate how loud a sound is. Continuous exposure to sound above 80 decibels could be harmful.

Relating to Everyday Life Decibel levels of common sounds 60 dbEvery day conversation, ringing telephone 70 dbA restaurant 80 dbHeavy city traffic, alarm clock at 2 ft. away, factory noise, vacuum cleaner, garbage disposal 90 dbSubway trains, motorcycle, lawnmower 100 dbChainsaw, drill 110 dbDance Club 120 dbRock concert speaker sound, sandblasting, thunderclap 130 dbJet take off, gunfire 150 dbRock music peak

Consider this… Keep in mind the decibel levels of common sounds found on the previous chart. Audiologists have known students to listen to music at 110 to 120 decibels. Exposure to this level of sound is enough to cause hearing loss after only about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Headphones usually allow us to listen to music at higher volume than loud speakers. Scientists have measured sound levels of MP3 players. At 70 percent of volume they pump out 85 decibels. Pairing both of these could spell danger for a person who uses headphones to listen to a portable music device.

Now, consider the decibel level at which you listen to your music!

You are not alone…  Audiologists estimate that 15 to 25 percent of MP3 player users listen at hazardous levels.  In a 2001 study, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported noise induced hearing loss in 12.5% of Americans between the ages of 6 and 19  In previous research young adults between the ages of were more likely than older adults to exceed safe listening limits.

Putting It Into Perspective  The risk of hearing damage from listening to loud music on headphones is high.  Exposure to loud noise for any duration of time can result in temporary and/or permanent hearing loss.  If the noise around you is so loud that you have to shout to be heard, there is a chance that your ear can be injured.

 While hearing damage from excessive noise exposure is not always permanent be aware, over time permanent hearing loss can occur.  Hearing damage can be gradual, cumulative and without obvious warning signs. However, signs of exposure to excessive sound include ringing in the ears, hissing, clicking, or buzzing sounds. These sounds are also common of tinnitus. While in many cases the tinnitus ringing may not be serious; it could be quite annoying to hear constant ringing in your ears.  Combining normal hearing depreciation that occurs with age, exposure to high volume on headphones could accelerate hearing loss.

What can you do now?  Limit earphone listening to an hour per day at a reasonable setting no greater than six on a ten notch scale, using 60% of its potential volume.  Remember to turn down the volume when wearing headphones. If someone can hear the music from your earphones from several feet away, it is more than likely too loud!  Give your ears a rest once in a while. Challenge yourself to go one day without using your headphones.  If you experience constant ringing or swishing sounds in your ears or are concerned about your hearing visit your physician.  Use noise cancellation headphones, but with caution.

Noise Cancellation Headphones   Noise cancellation headphones reduce unwanted outside noise (crying baby, chatty neighbor, heavy traffic, etc.)   We often turn up our headphones to drown out the sounds around us. With noise cancellation headphones you are able to enjoy your music while not having to turn up the volume excessively. This allows you to listen to your music at lower decibel levels therefore you can listen to your music longer than with regular headphones or earbuds.   These headphones also provide better clarity and sound quality. Additionally they tend to be more comfortable on the ears.

If Noise Cancellation Headphones are so great, why caution its use?

It is important to be aware of your surroundings   If you are walking alone you should consider removing your headphones or turning the volume low so that you can hear. You don’t want to be a target for a crime!   You should also consider removing your headphones or turning the volume low if you are walking in a heavy traffic area or one that may contain heavy machinery. This is important so that you hear sirens, horns, or anything meant to warn you.

I ♥ ME MP3 players and IPods are helpful and enjoyable to listen to. However, it is important to always keep safety first. While we may love our portable music device, we should love ourselves even more and use them responsibly to reduce risks to our health.

Quiz Your Knowledge 1.Approximately how many Americans own an IPod? 2.What areas are compromised by improper usage of headphones and excessive volume? 3.The main culprits that put music enthusiasts at risk are_______ and ________. 4.The ear is made up of __________different sections. 5.If sound is too loud what can happen to the tiny hairs in the cochlea? 6.What is a decibel? 7.Continuous exposure to sound above ____decibels could be harmful. 8.In previous research young adults between the ages of _______were more likely than older adults to exceed safe listening limits. 9.What are noise cancellation headphones? 10.How can loud volume on headphones compromise your personal safety?

Answers 1.an estimated 22 million Americans own an IPod. 2.Hearing and safety 3.Headphones and volume 4.The ear is made up of three different sections. 5.If sound is too loud what these hairs sway too far and can get damaged. 6.A decibel is a unit of measurement used to indicate how loud a sound is. 7.Continuous exposure to sound above 80 decibels could be harmful 8.In previous research young adults between the ages of were more likely than older adults to exceed safe listening limits Noise cancellation headphones reduce unwanted outside noise (crying baby, chatty neighbor, heavy traffic, etc.) See slide 24.

For More information check out these websites! Better Hearing.org American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Howard Hughes Medical Institute Hear It.org Hearing Test Test Your Hearing