Beware of turning up the volume of your headphones!

@emisle (3822)
Ireland
February 16, 2007 5:21pm CST
I do listen to my mp3 player regularly, but for anyone who has one, or is planning on getting one I just want to warn you against turning the volume up really loud. I want to save you all the bother of getting tinnitus - a ringing in your ears. I used to get this sometimes and I would notice it at night when all was quiet. I would hear this 'buzzing' or 'ringing' in my ears and it would drive me mad! It was only temporary but it can become permanent over time. So to all you music fans, just be careful..;)
6 people like this
22 responses
• Philippines
17 Feb 07
Months ago, results of a scientific study came out. Among the items, there was one which gave a warning against using the headphones too much. It says that no matter how low the volume maybe, the use of headphones adversely affects the ears. It causes some harm to the eardrums, thus someone's hearing suffers everytime one takes hold of that headphone. The effect reaches bad levels after sometime of using the headphones - the length of time varies from person to person. It is quite sad that I cannot exactly remember how long was it shortest and longest. These studies of course, come out with the figures.
3 people like this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
17 Feb 07
I've been using mine for about 2 years, but I've definitely been using it less since the whole ringing started. Or when I do I try and remind myself to keep the volume as low as possible and avoid using in ear headphones.
1 person likes this
@Poison_Girl (4150)
• United States
17 Feb 07
Not only that, but it can annoy the people around you. I swear, there's ALWAYS someone on the bus with their music player blaring and the entire bus can hear it. It's really annoying! It kinda makes the whole point of headphones pointless if everyone can still hear it.
2 people like this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
17 Feb 07
Well my theory is, that they've slowly gone deaf over time and need to keep their music at that level just to hear it!
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Feb 07
Seriously. I always think the same thing. It's amazing how they can listen to it SO loud.
2 people like this
@Idlewild (6090)
• United States
17 Feb 07
If I can hear the music of someone with headphones who's sitting 20 feet behind me, then I can only imagine what that music is doing to his or her ears.
2 people like this
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
17 Feb 07
The ringing in your ears became permanent? Uh oh! LOL I don't listen to my music really loud all the time...and I don't wear headphones...I just blair my music in the house. LOL But there have been times that I have heard ringing. I would hate for that to become permanent!!! That would drive me crazy! Is there anything that can be done to help you? How do you live with constant ringing in your ears?
2 people like this
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
17 Feb 07
tia, while it may be constant when you are occupied with something else like TV or myLot where something is going on you don't notice the ringing, at least I don't. I have gotten used to it but I could see where someone without patience or tolerance could go start raving mad. As I said earlier I only notice it after going to bed when it is quiet. Then I usually turn on the radio and by concentrating on the music the ringing goes away and I go to sleep...end of problem.
1 person likes this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
17 Feb 07
Don't worry about me! The ringing is only temporary..:) I honestly don't know how I would live with it 24/7. The worst affected tend to be soldiers and I can see why, if you're constantly listening to bomb blasts and gunfire your ears are going to suffer..:(
1 person likes this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
17 Feb 07
I never thought of it like that! lol!
1 person likes this
• India
17 Feb 07
hey that is not the only problem it can cause. it also increases the rate of bacterial growth in the ear. so think twice before you increase volume
2 people like this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
18 Feb 07
Increase bacterial growth?..well you learn something new everyday..
@Kaorin (756)
• Australia
17 Feb 07
I know what you mean. I burst my eardrum in my left ear while on a plane and I've never been able to hear the same out of it. I lost about 15% of my hearing from the eardrum bursting. However, I've listened to music loud from my iPod for years and when I saw the hearing specialist the other week to check up on my progress, I'm now up to 25% hearing loss in my left ear, and 5% in my right (where it was 100% perfect when I burst my eardrum). They say its probably directly related to constantly listening to loud music on my iPod, and constantly standing near huge speakers at live gigs. So take me as a warning to you all, turn down your iPods! I'm only 19!
2 people like this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
18 Feb 07
But it's good that you know now as opposed to further down the line and learning you've lost a lot more of your hearing..I already have dodgy eyes! lol!
@dogfish (13)
17 Feb 07
Wow, I havnt seen that before. I admit I do listen to music double the volume than I did a month ago, and I do have some ringing in my ears, but it happens at times when im not listening to music.
2 people like this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
18 Feb 07
It happens to everyone at some stage in their lives for whatever reason, but listening to loud music through headphones will definitely be a prime cause for many young people.
• Canada
17 Feb 07
Do you still hear the ringing ? How long has it been , and did you see your doctor ? Did they say it was permanent , or will it eventually go away ? I don`t own 1 yet , but maybe I will in the future . Thanks for warning everyone . I hope the ringing will go away for you
1 person likes this
@ladyheart25 (1815)
• Philippines
17 Feb 07
Yes thats true, there are studies that speak out about this full volumes makes ear sore. You get used to loud sound and your ear will only be able to hear at this range, that will make you deaf for some times.
2 people like this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
17 Feb 07
I think this is very good suggestion and can never figure out why people have their headsets up so loud. Some of my students do that while they are working, and I can hear the music from quite a distance. It is definitely not good for your hearing and can probably make a person go deaf after a period of time or at least make your hearing worse. It is also not good to blast your car stereo system loud as it can have the same effects on persons hearing.
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
18 Feb 07
At least with the car stereo the waves aren't just concentrated on your ears...
@Idlewild (6090)
• United States
16 Feb 07
Say WHAT?! I can't HEAR you! ;-) I would have better hearing today if I'd learned to put earplugs in being going to loud, live concerts. If I'm listening to my iPod and there's a lot of noise around, I just pause instead of turning the volume up loud. iPod lets you set a maximum volume, other players probably do as well.
2 people like this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
17 Feb 07
I think my one has it too but I never bother with it...oops!
1 person likes this
17 Feb 07
well maybe i should turn my headphones down then! i always have my ipod on full! i do have a ringing sometimes :S thanks for your advice
1 person likes this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
18 Feb 07
I'm on a campaign to save the hearing of mylotters! lol!
• United States
17 Feb 07
Thanks for the warning. I turn it up when a real good song comes on and then I forget to turn it down!
2 people like this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
17 Feb 07
I know what you mean, you get used to the volume and you don't think it's loud at all!
1 person likes this
@mobyfriend (1017)
• Netherlands
17 Feb 07
I always put in earplugs when I go to a rockconcert. You just have to protect your ears. Good post. Too manny people don't realize they can damage their ears by pumping up the volume with or without earplugs.
2 people like this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
18 Feb 07
They should put bigger warnings in instruction manual..
@kaplya (1578)
• India
17 Feb 07
i m in the habit of listening my favorite songs really loud but i never faced this problem or maybe i didn't notice it at all;)now on i m not going to turn the volume as up as i used to because i would never ever like to have some kind of constant ringing in my ears.thanx for the warning:)
1 person likes this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
18 Feb 07
Luckily mine hasn't gotten permanent yet! But even in the day or 2 that I get it it really bugs me..:( People get it naturally at some stage in their lives but listening to loud music will cause it to occur a lot more frequently.
• Philippines
17 Feb 07
another info, after eating your meal dont listen to loud music or rock cause there is this possibility that loud sounds affect our disgestion and this may cause indigestion. actually i have a prolem with my ear. my hearing abilities are low (the left side of my ear) due to over used of headphones and turning it loud.
• United States
17 Feb 07
i am already very careful about the volume on my iPod...i have tenitus probably due to all the concerts i went to before my crash...
1 person likes this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
17 Feb 07
I hope your crash wasn't too serious....
• Philippines
17 Feb 07
Thanks for this warning. I really want my earphone in max volume. So this really make me think twice.
1 person likes this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
17 Feb 07
You do not want to go through it at any stage, it really is annoying. I've gotten it a few times and it's been temporary so I'm treating my ears better from now on..:)
17 Feb 07
already there but thanks for telling me what it is i had no idea
• Romania
17 Feb 07
Hey,I can hear buzzing in my head when a turn down the volume but usually I forget to turn it down.When a good song plays I turn the volume up to maximum and a forget to turn it down afterwards.I get carried away!
@scipio (2)
• Belgium
17 Feb 07
I never play loud music on my earphones, i just can't. As soon as i feel the slightest pain in my ear, i turn it down.
1 person likes this
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
17 Feb 07
Feeling pain is never a good sign!