The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that teens and adults who listen to loud music for long periods of time are at a danger of going deaf.
On Friday, Feb. 27, WHO released a statement regarding how 1.1 billion young adults and teens across the world are at risk of hearing loss. The specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) suggests that hearing loss can devastate the mental and physical health of a person. Hearing loss can also have a severe impact on employment and education.
The agency revealed that millions of people are at risk due to the unsafe use of audio devices, which include smartphones. Listening to loud music at venues such as bars, nightclubs and concert arenas may also have an impact on the hearing capabilities of an individual.
"As they go about their daily lives doing what they enjoy, more and more young people are placing themselves at risk of hearing loss," said Dr. Etienne Krug, Director for the Department for Management of Noncommunicable Diseases, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention at WHO. "They should be aware that once you lose your hearing, it won't come back. Taking simple preventive actions will allow people to continue to enjoy themselves without putting their hearing at risk."
WHO advises that listening to music safely is governed by the loudness and intensity of the sound. The duration is also crucial as listening to loud music for a long time can actually result in hearing loss on a temporary basis or cause tinnitus, which is an unpleasant ringing sensation in the ears.
Prolonged listening to loud music can also result in permanent hearing loss, which cannot be reversed. WHO recommends reducing the exposure to loud music to prevent any type of hearing loss.
The noise level of 100 decibels is safe to hear only for about 15 minutes. Listening to music on the go using portable mp3 players and smartphones has become very common. However, listening to music on personal devices should also be restricted to about an hour each day.
About 50 percent of teens and adults between 12 and 35 years old who use personal music devices, are at risk of hearing loss. Similarly, around 40 percent of people listening to loud music at various venues are also exposed to unsafe music that can cause damage to the ears.
WHO suggests that governments across the world take responsibility in raising awareness about unsafe music and its implications on hearing abilities.
