Did you know listening to loud and long music causes risks for hearing loss?…This is how to prevent it!.

Turning down the racket isn’t just for disgruntled parents .When it comes to phones, music, movies and shows, it’s common for adolescents and young adults to listen too loud and too long.An estimate of 0.67 to 1.35 billion individuals aged 12-34 years worldwide likely engage in unsafe listening practices and are therefore at risk for hearing loss.

Exposure to sound at too high a volume can fatigue the sensory cells and structures in the ear,if that goes on for too long, they can become permanently damaged, resulting in hearing loss, tinnitus or both.

Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of scientific articles regarding unsafe listening practices published between 2000 and 2021 across three databases.The unsafe practices were tracked according to use of headphones as well as attendance at entertainment venues, such as concerts, bars and clubs, according to the analysis.

Fortunately, policies, businesses and individuals can put measures into place to encourage safe listening and protect hearing from damage over time.The evidence is compelling that hearing loss should be a public health priority.

There are ways to prevent the damage before you notice the effects, however. Some devices allow people to monitor their listening levels in the device settings, some will alert you when you’ve been listening too loud for too long.If your device says you are listening at unsafe levels, turn down the volume and listen to music for shorter periods of time.

Experts cannot conclusively say which headphones are the safest for listening but it’s recommended to use the ones that reduce background noise, which may help keep the volume at lower levels since you don’t need to drown out the noise around you.

But you don’t always have control of the volume dial. If you are at a loud concert or venue, you can protect your hearing by standing further away from speakers and taking breaks away from the noise, if possible.And it always helps to use some ear protection — even the foam ear plugs will do.

Lastly, hearing is the sense that connects us to the people we love.Taking care of our hearing is key to maintaining healthy relationship(s), general health and well-being. Primary prevention in early adults is critical to avoid earlier onset and accelerated age-related hearing loss.

Article By Suzy Nyongesa.