| The good news is that iPODs are a great product, | | | | time (85 decibels for more than an hour). |
| they're cool, and they bring a lot of joy. People can be | | | | A couple of additional features of our glorious iPOD |
| pretty fanatic about their iPOD. They say it opens up a | | | | create concerns for those involved in caring for our |
| whole new world of sound to them. It's not just kids | | | | hearing. One is the earbud style headphones which |
| either. I have friends in their 40's and 50's who can't | | | | move the source of sound closer to the structures |
| part with it and have unabashedly declared their | | | | which allow us to hear. These earbuds actually |
| addiction to their iPOD. I even have one older friend | | | | increase the sound by 6-9 decibels over the traditional |
| who swears he can suddenly hear better out of his | | | | over-the-ear headphones. Thus, they give us louder |
| impaired left ear when wearing his iPOD with earbuds. | | | | listening and greater risk of damage. In addition, the |
| Now we all know the bad news too. Experts are | | | | fact that the iPOD can hold and play thousands of |
| warning us that using MP3 Players in general, and | | | | songs and hours of music ensures that we are |
| iPODs in particular, can potentially cause significant | | | | listening for prolonged periods of time. So, you guessed |
| hearing loss over time. Noise induced hearing loss is not | | | | it, even if we turn the volume down a bit, we can still |
| isolated to music of course. Sudden loud noise such as | | | | have damage due to the prolonged listening. |
| a gun firing or an explosion at close range can wreak | | | | So, are you ready to give up your iPOD? No, I didn't |
| havoc on the auditory system. In this situation, the | | | | think so. Most of us have figured out that just about |
| exposure to noise is brief but the ear does not have | | | | everything potentially causes damage to our fragile |
| time to sense the sudden trauma and protect itself; | | | | bodies and the goal is to act responsibly while still |
| thus damage occurs. This is evident when ringing in the | | | | enjoying ourselves. So here are just a few common |
| ears is present after the event. | | | | sense things to help you listen responsibly: |
| Another common noise induced hearing loss is the | | | | • Dial the volume down to 6 or lower |
| result of exposure to significant noise levels over an | | | | • Use over-the-ear headphones versus |
| extended period of time. The loudness that creates | | | | earbuds |
| the damage may not seem excessive to some | | | | • Limit listening to no more than 1 hour at a |
| people; perhaps the sound of a loud truck, a vacuum | | | | time (less if listening level is at a 110 dB or higher) |
| cleaner, or machines in a factory. When exposed to | | | | • Listen to your iPOD via an external device |
| these sounds the ear will to some extent attempt to | | | | without earphones when possible (at home with an |
| protect itself, but over a prolonged period of time, it | | | | iHome device) |
| fatigues and damage occurs. The damage occurs | | | | • Avoid using your iPOD to drown out other |
| gradually and is generally not noticeable until it is too | | | | loud noises |
| late. So, basically hearing loss can result from exposure | | | | Apple blessed us with these wonderful little devices, |
| to loud sounds (sounds over 120 decibels for instance) | | | | but don't lose your hearing for the love of iPOD. |
| or exposure to less intense noise over a period of | | | | |