EU Warns Us About MP3 Dangers

Amber Wheat

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A new study from the European Union Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks is very concerned about the future of hearing of it’s European citizens. The study focused on the volume and duration of use of MP3 players.

I know that this occurred overseas, but it is just as pertinent (if not more so) here in the U.S. We have all seen those people who drive down the street with there stereos blasting, the bass up so high, you can feel the vibrations two cars over. Can you imagine how high they keep the volume on their MP3 players?

I know of people who use MP3 players to drown out snoring or on airplanes to drown out the noise, but think of how loud the music would have to be to accomplish anything. Our ears are very sensitive devices. We have the ability to focus on specific sounds while ignoring others (anyone who’s tried to talk to someone while they’re watching tv can attest to that), we can pick up on a wide range of tones (though not as many as dogs), and we can even tell when pitch is ever so slightly off.

Yes, our ears are amazing, but they are delicate as well. A young woman in China recently lost part of her hearing just from kissing! The amount of noise entering your ear when listening to MP3 players has a long-term effect on your hearing abilities.

The EU study found that five to ten percent of European MP3 users have the volume so high that they are at risk for permanent hearing loss someday. I don’t think I would be out of line to suggest the American users are probably closer to the ten percent.

Hearing loss is not the only risk, tinnitis can occur if we don’t use MP3s responsibly. Tinnitus is a ringing in the ears. It is different for everybody, different tones, different duration, different beats, but they all suffer. For a real shock, check out what tinnitus can sound like. Then imaging living with that constantly for the rest of your life! There is no medical cure for tinnitus.

One of the keys to keeping your hearing safe is paying attention to duration. Even at the high volume level, somebody would have to listen to their MP3 for one whole hour everyday of every week for five years to lose their hearing. That’s not to say that you won’t damage your hearing if you take every other day off, it just means the damage is progressive. It won’t happen all at once. Your ears will get used to the loud volume then one day you’ll need to turn it up. The day after that you won’t be able to hear the tv. Then you’ll have to ask people to speak up while talking directly at you.

Soon you’re looking at buying hearing aids (not the cheapest thing in the world) and maybe even considering surgery. That comes with doctor’s visits and fees (does your insurance cover hearing loss?). But there is no cure for hearing loss and if you go deaf... you’ll never hear the music you loved ever again. Communication will be a chore and misunderstandings will be the norm.

It is a slippery slope, so please be careful. Music is wonderful, and listening can be a very relaxing past time, but please listen responsibly. A good rule of thumb: if you are listening to an MP3 player, the volume should be low enough that you can hear someone next to you clearly. If you have to ask them to repeat themselves, the music is too loud. If THEY can hear the music too, it’s WAY too loud (you know who you are).

Check out the tinnitus site... it will really change your perspective. Let me know what you think.