There are
many technologies and devices which can be dangerous as well if not properly
used. In the modern world, many of us are wearing headphones all day, every
day. Headphones and earbuds are everywhere, but that doesn’t mean they are safe
for our ears. Using earbuds and headphones can cause damage to our hearing, if
we aren’t careful and don’t learn how to keep ourselves safe.
People
usually have a smartphone in their pocket and a pair of headphones that connect
it directly to their ears, unfortunately those same devices that make listening
or talking on the phone so direct damage our ears. According to a 2011 study published in the
journal of the American Medical Association; the use of headphones and earbuds
has led to a major increase in the prevalence off hearing loss in adolescents
and young adults. As a result of the
study, it was also seen, the prevalence of hearing loss among a sample of US
adolescents aged 12 to 19 years was greater in 2005-2006 compared with
1988-1994. For this reason; hearing loss
is a common sensory disorder, affecting 20 million individuals, especially adolescents and of all
ages, in Turkey.
It is
obvious that headphones can lead to some
adverse effects. When we wear the headphones, strong vibrations reach our ear,
the problem deep inside the cochlea is the fragile hairs and they turn
vibrations into sound messages and send them to the brain. But the loud sound
damages the hair cells and the cochlea can’t relay the sound messages to the
brain and also unlike the damage to other parts of the body, it can’t be cured.
The world Health Organization estimates more than 1 billion young people are in
danger of hearing loss from portable audio devices, including smartphones. For
this reason, when the damage starts,
then we are really on an irreversible journey, we should protect our life from
these devices.
There are
also some preventative measures against
the damage done by headphones. Firstly, avoid
using headphones when alone and choose the right headphones or select the one
with good sound allowing you to hear a
clear audio, which leads you to listen at low volume because the right volume is
probably not going to damage the hearing
process. Doctor Foy also said follow the
%60 rule in regards to percentage of maximum volume and duration of time. There
are also some advertisements and companies claiming/ which claim that you need
expensive headphones to protect your hearing. This is obviously a wrong idea;
the price doesn’t really correlate with the sound quality or the protection.
Technology is a blessing and a curse. On the one
hand, it can make your life easier and more convenient. But on the other hand,
it comes with a lot of side effects and drawbacks. Especially headphones are
great, when we are traveling, working out and just want to relax, but there are
some harmful effects we are likely going to experience, if we don’t use them
correctly.
FIRAT AKKUŞ
