Earphones and Hearing Loss: Can You Hear Me Now?

Keep those iPods playing, kids! New Harvard Medical School research finds that, contrary to popular belief, earphones cause no significant hearing loss. That means you can shake off your mom’s nagging warnings when it comes to turning down the volume on your MP3.

The study found that from 1988 to 1994, 15.9 percent of 4,300 young adults ages 12 to 19 had registered some form of hearing loss after exposure to loud music and activities. Fast-forward to the new 2005/2006 figures, and the percentage increased a measly 0.9 percent (16.8 percent) despite a significant rise in mobile listening, be it MP3 players or cell phones.

The study’s lead researcher, Elisabeth Henderson, points out that the greatest source of hearing loss stems from environmental noise, such as concerts and loud machinery. Just as performing artists wear noise-protecting gear onstage, Henderson advises concertgoers to do the same. Wearing earplugs at a concert can reduce noise levels by 20 decibels, protecting sensitive and irreplaceable cells deep within the ear.

But when it comes to listening to your playlist, we say rock on … and maybe turn the volume down a smidge, just to be on the safe side.