Cell Phone Use Causes Hearing Loss, Study Finds

The team of researchers caution that "[their] intention is not to scare the public" and "there is as yet no cause for alarm." They also don't give any explanation of why a cell phone is any more dangerous for hearing than a traditional headset. But, if you're a heavy cell phone user and value your (or your children's) hearing, you might want to think about laying off the babbling a bit.
From textually.org
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Don @ Sep 20th 2007 12:48PM
If you have Speakerphone option,use it all the time.
Wilhelm @ Sep 20th 2007 2:08PM
No wonder, the cell is nothing more than a microwave generator. We are cooking our ears.
Remember when the invented the microwave oven at NASA? When it was found to be dangerous at levels of radiation needed for cooking, the government simply elevated the safe threshold value to make them "safe".
Pay attention people.
Paul @ Sep 20th 2007 2:22PM
High frequency hearing loss is the first thing that happens. Loud sounds contribute to this. Too loud and too much usage aggravates this. Radio frequency energy has nothing to do with it. Microwave( ovens, radar, etc.} energy is in the hundreds of watts. Cell phone energy is in milliwatts. (1 onethousanth of a watt.) The study did not involve enough people to make the survey really valid. More scare tactics from the media.
seashell253 @ Sep 20th 2007 3:16PM
What about bluetooth headset usage?
FLETCHER PHELAN @ Sep 20th 2007 3:24PM
GREAT NEWS. MAYBE SOME OF THE CARELESS DRIVERS WHO INSIST ON USING CELL PHONES WHILE DRIVING WILL CURTAIL PHONE USE WHILE THEY DRIVE, THUS REDUCING SOMEWHAT THE DANGERS OF THE ROAD THEY CAUSE.
Dennis @ Sep 20th 2007 3:29PM
Well that settles that! I'm not getting any heavy cell phones! Just light cell phones for me from now on!
Grammy @ Sep 20th 2007 3:57PM
I think that instead of the cellphones you need not look any further than the usage of head phones with music. On the internet as well as on the other instruments that are being used every day by young people.
jeff @ Sep 20th 2007 4:12PM
What!?
Richard Milford @ Sep 20th 2007 4:48PM
Yes unfortunately microwaves do emit out of cell phones Cell phones create heat that goes into your ear thus into your brain
Weezie @ Sep 20th 2007 4:57PM
"You talking to me?"
Paulette @ Sep 20th 2007 5:16PM
I don't believe that at all, since we use the house phone what is different about cell phones? Just trying to find away to get people off the their phones.
Jaculis @ Sep 20th 2007 5:59PM
Was an analysis of of normal variance performed [ANOVA] to determine whether this is a population independent of other phone uses or other sounds sources, in other words is this a coincident population that experiences loud sound-compressed noises in general?
Just wondering...
Rollando @ Sep 20th 2007 6:01PM
Moderation is the key.
Does one really need to speak that long on the phone? Long distance is one thing. But if you are only minutes away, why not set a time to meet in person in the near future for a conversation you know will be long.
I always limit my time on the phone whereever and whenever I can. I think it is silly to be on the phone for more than 5 to 10 minutes. If it is a serious emergency or very long distance I'll make the exception.
Richard Milford @ Sep 20th 2007 6:26PM
Everybody thinks that this is a media scare but cell phones do give out electromagnetic pollution and you should take steps to prevent that or at least neutralize it
David @ Sep 20th 2007 6:29PM
EXCUSE ME?? WHAT?? WOULD YOU REPEAT THAT??
wolf @ Sep 20th 2007 6:29PM
It is also true that in the USA, using cell phones while driving kills close to as many people every year as we lost in the 9/11 attacks. Safety experts say that at least 5% of fatal vehicle accidents can be traced to lack of attention by a driver using a cell phone. With about 45,000 vehicle accident fatalities in this country every year, that comes out to at LEAST 2200 people dead because some idiots insist on driving while using their cell phones. I have had aa few close calls from somebody not paying attention because of this, and a friend missed months of work and was lucky not to be paralyzed when nut case woman on a cell phone read-ended his car while he was stopped at a red light. Use these devices with COMMON SENSE, please.
Helen @ Sep 20th 2007 8:09PM
I just want to say that I am 23, and recently found out that I have a moderate degree of hearing loss. I am getting hearing aids soon, and wonder if my hearing loss is partially due to my past overuse of the cell phone. I haven't really used the cell phone so much in the past couple of years, but I used to use it quite a bit. Hmmmmmmm . . . .
dean @ Sep 20th 2007 9:31PM
How bout them I-Pod heavy users... how's their hearing doing?
ursula @ Sep 20th 2007 10:01PM
Interesting...I have notice that my ringing in the ears,is lauder after talking on the cell phone"""
flags6262 @ Sep 20th 2007 10:32PM
Oh! Oh! I thought it was my age but guess not.