CLEVELAND, OH (CLEVELAND CLINIC) - If you enjoy blasting music in your headphones or going to live concerts, you may want to be more careful when it comes to protecting your hearing. According to a study, more than one-billion young people could be at risk for hearing loss, which isn't surprising to doctors.
A combination of two factors can put someone at risk for hearing loss. The louder the sound and the amount of time we are around it. Ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or a plugged sensation are all signs that damage has been done, even if your ears seem to return to normal. So, what is a safe volume for listening?
"Usually something below like a 50% level on a phone or when you're using headphones, or music player is pretty appropriate. Secondly, if you can't control the volume, then you want to move as far away as possible from the sound source," suggested Dr. Sarah Sydlowski, Cleveland Clinic.
Another tip is to wear good-fitting earplugs if you're going to be around loud noises, like at a concert. You only get one set of ears that need to last a lifetime. If you feel like you are having any kind of hearing difficulties, it's best to see an audiologist for a hearing test.
