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Teen Hearing Loss Increases, Researchers Blame Loud MP3 Players

by Caleb Johnson on August 19, 2010 at 07:30 AM

Study claims loud MP3 players decrease teen's hearingWhat? We couldn't hear our parents when they told us rock-and-roll would make us deaf, and teens today still ignore the dangers of loud (but inherently awesome) noises. A recent nationwide study found that teenage hearing loss has increased drastically over the past 20 years -- with one in five teens now suffering slight hearing loss. The number of teens incapable of hearing levels from 16- to 24-decibels has increased from 15-percent to 19.5-percent (or to about 6.5 million teens) in the past two decades. In this study, researchers analyzed data on 3,000 teens between the ages of 12 and 19 from 1988 and 1994, and put them up against 1,800 teens surveyed in 2005 and 2006. Dr. Gary Curhan, a lead author of the study, didn't name any specific devices, but he told the AP that blasting music through earbuds at high volumes could be a problem. Apparently, the research showed a large bump in high-frequency hearing loss, which indicates that loud noises had done the damage.

Of course, people love to make Apple the villain, but a judge ruled earlier this year that the iPod's 115-decibel max volume level wasn't responsible for two plaintiffs' hearing loss. However, it's always a good idea to practice some restraint and common sense when you are listening to Blood Dragons on Speed or whatever the kids like today. If not for yourself, do it for the old lady sitting next to you. [From: AP/Huffington Post]

Tags: DecibelLevel, decibels, hearing, HearingLoss, iPod, Mp3Player, music, research, sound, study, top

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