Protect Your Hearing Advisory

Listening Advice to Avoid Hearing Damage

Listening to music via headphones, earbuds or headsets at a high volume may cause permanent hearing loss to occur. The louder the volume, the less time is required before your hearing could be affected.

Keep in mind that sound can be deceiving. Over time, your hearing comfort level adapts to higher sound volumes. As a result, what may sound normal and comfortable to you can actually be harmful to your hearing. Guard against this by setting your equipment at a safe level before your hearing adapts.

To establish a safe volume level:

1. Start your equipment with the volume control at its lowest setting.
2. Slowly increase the sound until you can hear it comfortably and clearly, and without distortion.
3. Avoid setting the volume at a level that prevents you from hearing conversations and other similar noises around you.

Once you have established a comfortable sound level, leave it there. If you experience a ringing in your ears, discomfort or muffled speech, reduce the volume or stop listening and have your hearing checked.

Hearing experts advise that to protect your hearing:

• Limit the amount of time you use earbuds or headphones at high volume.
• Avoid turning up the volume to block out noisy surroundings.
• Turn the volume down if you can´t hear people speaking near you.