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Audiology experts are sounding the alarm about noise-canceling earbuds and headphones, saying blocking out ambient noise can affect the way your brain processes sound, making you less aware of your surroundings. warns the user.
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Audiology experts are sounding the alarm about noise-canceling earbuds and headphones, saying blocking out ambient noise can affect the way your brain processes sound, making you less aware of your surroundings. warns the user.
Josh Gordon, head of innovation at Singapore technology company Geonode, told Fox News Digital last week that “noise-canceling earphones may provide a welcome sense of silence, but they mask important, life-saving sounds. There is a possibility that it will be hidden.”
Prolonged exposure to loud noises, or even extreme amounts of time, can lead to hearing loss. This is because loud noises can damage the cells and membranes of the inner ear. In addition to hearing loss, noise pollution has been linked to symptoms such as increased stress, high blood pressure, sleep problems, and decreased productivity.
According to the World Health Organization, it is safe for adults to listen to 80 decibels of noise for up to 40 hours a week. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the sound of a motorcycle's engine is about 95 decibels, while the sound of a subway train's horn or a sporting event is about 100 decibels.
Noise-cancelling headphones can cut noise by 20 to 40 decibels, Gordon said. However, this technology is not without risks.
“There are situations in which noise-canceling headphones can be helpful, as loud sounds can damage your hearing,” David McAlpine, academic director of the School of Audiology at Australia's Macquarie University, told Gizmodo last month. “At the same time, the background noise that characterizes the soundscape is important for orienting oneself in the environment.”
The noise-canceling headphones market is expected to grow from $13.1 billion in 2021 to $45.4 billion by 2031. McAlpine mused that “big tech companies” seem to be solving hearing problems by “creating hearing problems.”
One of McAlpine's colleagues conducted a study in 2012 in which 17 participants were asked to wear earplugs for a week, and 11 developed tinnitus. Tinnitus is the hearing of a ringing, buzzing, or hissing sound in the ear when no actual noise is present. When they removed the earplugs, the ringing disappeared.
“When you stop putting sound into your ears, your brain overcompensates by increasing its internal gain,” McAlpine explained to the Guardian last year. “It completely changes your neural pathways – we know that. Tinkering with the sound energy that goes into your ear is tantamount to tinkering with what the brain evolved to do.”
McAlpine recommends using noise-canceling headphones in noisy workplaces such as construction sites, the military, concerts, or cafes to prevent hearing loss.
Dr. Ruth Reisman, a clinical audiologist and hearing aid distributor in New York state, told Fox News Digital that the technology could also help people with hyperacusis (a rare hearing disorder) and autism.
She recommends limiting use to two to three hours per day.
Joel Smith, a California-based audio expert and founder of music hub AllAxess.com, also warns Fox News Digital that earbuds can trap sweat and moisture in your ears, leading to ear infections. Did.
Earbuds should be cleaned at least once a week to remove wax and debris with a soft-bristled brush and alcohol wipes to kill viruses, bacteria, and fungi.
“I don't think people need to avoid [noise-canceling headphones] But we need to use it responsibly,” Smith said.
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