'iPods can make you deaf'

11 May 2005

Andrew Reid, head of audiology at the Royal United Hospital in Bristol, has warned that the huge popularity of iPods and other players could leave a generation of music fans with serious problems.

He said: "This is a big problem for young people, and there is a real risk that prolonged listening could lead to permanent hearing damage.

"If you are on a Tube, you have to turn the player up to dangerous levels just to hear it. Over time, this is going to lead to problems like tinnitus and severe damage to the inner ear."

Tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss occurs when the delicate hair nerve cells that line the inner ear suffer repeated trauma from loud sound vibrations. The first signs are a ringing or buzzing in the ears. "People really need to turn down the player straight away and consult their doctor if the problems continue," warned Mr Reid.

Recent research found that 39 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds listen to personal stereos for more than an hour each day, with 13 per cent listening for two hours or more.

According to Christine DePlacido of the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, reducing the time people listen to their player is key. "It would obviously be beneficial to reduce the volume and restrict the usage of personal players," she said.

"The difficulty is in persuading people to do this before their hearing is damaged, as many believe hearing loss will not happen to them until they are much older. A lot of the young people I see with tinnitus describe listening to music at high intensities."

For further information about tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss, click on the links below.