Since the 1980s, audiologists have warned that using portable music devices could cause hearing loss. MP3 players such as the iPod are no exception and may actually pose a greater risk than older devices, according to a Northwestern expert.
The increased risk results from the longer battery life of MP3 players and the design of the popular earbud headphones, said Dean Garstecki, chairman of NU’s Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Because earbuds do not fit snugly into the ear, they allow background noise to leak in and cause the listener to crank up the volume, Garstecki said. A longer battery life also lets the listener use the device for long periods of time without interruption, subjecting the ear to extended trauma.
“It’s the combination of loud volume and the duration of the loud noise that causes damage,” Garstecki said.
Lodged into the ear opening, the earbud’s placement also increases the risk of hearing loss. Whereas other headphone models spread sound around the outside of the ear, earbuds broadcast it directly down the ear canal. This increases the intensity of the sound signal and could result in more damage to a person’s inner ear, Garstecki said.
But the extent of potential damage is still uncertain, Garstecki said. No research has been done to confirm a link between the iPod or other MP3 players and hearing loss.
Garstecki’s statements urging caution when using MP3 players were initially published in a press release issued by Northwestern Media Relations on Dec. 20. His comments were based upon what is already known about loud noises and hearing loss because no data on MP3 players is currently available, he said.
But it is hard to establish a definite link, Garstecki said. Individuals will not typically experience hearing loss until about 10 years after the damage was done, making it difficult to determine the actual reason why people may suffer aurally.
A doctoral student in the audiology department plans to begin a study to explore MP3-induced hearing loss.
Darrin Worthington will collect data on MP3 user levels and user habits, including the environments people typically listen in. He plans to use NU students as subjects because “there’s an abundance” of MP3 users on campus, he said.
“We have to wait for the data,” Garstecki said. “But all evidence at this point says we’re looking at a potential problem.”
To minimize the potential for hearing loss, Garstecki suggested following what he calls the “60/60 rule” when using MP3 players with earbuds. “Keep the volume at 60 percent or lower (and listen) for no more than one hour,” he said.
Garstecki also recommends replacing the earbuds with headphones that are not inserted directly into the ear, or with noise-cancelling headphones that block out background noise and eliminate the need to listen at high volumes.
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