MP3 players and iPods could mean the difference between life and death when crossing the road, pedestrians are being warned by Deafness Research UK during Road Safety Week (10-16 November).

Follow these tips for listening to music without risking your hearing:

Our research shows that too many people are putting their hearing at risk by listening to their MP3 player too loudly and for too long. There are simple ways to reduce your risk.

Help is at hand for the many thousands each year who suffer painful and debilitating ear complaints, many of which are avoidable with better ear hygiene and prompt medical attention, thanks to our recently published leaflet called ‘Trouble With Your Ears?’.

Deafness Research UK has launched an innovative new roadshow to remind young people of the risks they face to their hearing from loud music if they don’t turn down the volume on their MP3 players.

As millions of holiday-makers prepare to fly out of Britain this Bank Holiday and for their upcoming summer holidays, we should be taking more care of our health – and particularly our ears.

Alarming new evidence from the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that thousands of people around the world may be dying prematurely or succumbing to disease through the effects of chronic noise exposure.

Whether your earwax is wet or dry is determined by a mutation in a single gene, scientists have discovered.