Are headphones destroying our hearing?

Summary

This script delves into the impact of headphone use on hearing health, highlighting the risk of permanent hearing loss from loud volumes. Dr. Amy, an audiologist, explains the vulnerability of ear's hair cells and how damage from loud sounds is permanent. The script discusses the importance of safe listening levels, the benefits of noise-cancelling headphones in reducing volume exposure, and the distinction between passive and active noise cancellation. It emphasizes the need for conscious efforts to protect ears, comparing it to the visible protection of sunscreen against sunburn.

Takeaways

• 🎧 Headphones are not inherently bad for your hearing, but excessive or loud listening can cause permanent damage.
• 👩‍⚕️ Dr. Amy, an audiologist, explains that our hearing is fragile due to tiny hair cells in the ears that can be permanently damaged by loud sounds.
• 🌪️ Healthy hair cells resemble a field of wheat, but loud sounds can twist them, causing permanent damage if bent out of shape.
• 🔊 The risk of hearing damage is determined by both the duration and the loudness of sound exposure, measured in decibels on a logarithmic scale.
• 📈 A small increase in decibel level can double the loudness, making it easy to exceed safe listening levels without realizing it.
• 🚫 The US Department of Labor recommends no more than eight hours of exposure to 85dB for a safe working environment.
• 📱 Phone settings can limit volume to protect hearing, but if that hinders clarity, consider lowering the ambient noise instead.
• 🎵 Noise-cancelling headphones can be a protective measure, especially in noisy environments, by using passive or active noise cancellation techniques.
• 🔧 Active noise cancellation uses microphones to analyze and generate inverse sound waves to cancel out ambient noise, providing a quieter listening experience.
• 🛡️ Noise-cancelling headphones are most effective at removing low-frequency sounds, but may not block higher-frequency or sudden loud noises.
• 🧴 Sunscreen is visible, but noise damage is not; it's important to be mindful and proactive in protecting your ears from damage.

Q & A

What is the main concern expressed in the video script about the use of headphones?

The main concern is the risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss due to prolonged use of headphones, especially at high volumes.

Who is Dr. Amy Sarrow and what is her profession?

Dr. Amy Sarrow is a doctor of audiology, often referred to as Dr. Amy in the script. She provides insights into the fragility of human hearing.

What are the tiny hair cells in our ears and how do they relate to hearing?

The tiny hair cells in our ears are responsible for transmitting sound vibrations to the inner ear. When these hair cells are damaged, often due to loud or prolonged noise exposure, the damage can lead to permanent hearing loss.

How does the decibel scale work and why is it significant in the context of hearing damage?

The decibel scale works on a logarithmic scale, meaning that even a small increase in decibels represents a significant increase in loudness. This is significant because it shows how quickly sound can become dangerously loud, potentially causing hearing damage.

What is the recommended safe exposure level according to the US Department of Labor?

The US Department of Labor recommends no more than eight hours of exposure to 85 decibels to be considered a safe working environment.

How can smartphone settings help in limiting the risk of hearing damage?

Smartphone settings can be adjusted to limit the volume to certain decibel thresholds, helping to prevent exposure to dangerously loud sounds.

What are the two types of noise cancellation mentioned in the script?

The two types of noise cancellation are passive noise cancellation, which physically blocks sound, and active noise cancellation, which uses microphones to analyze and counteract environmental sounds.

How does active noise cancellation work to protect hearing?

Active noise cancellation works by using microphones to detect environmental sounds and then generating an inverse sound wave to cancel out the noise, reducing the need to increase volume and thus protecting the ears.

What are some limitations of noise-canceling headphones in protecting hearing?

Noise-canceling headphones are best at removing persistent low-frequency sounds but may not be as effective with higher frequency sounds or sudden loud noises.

How does noise cancellation affect the ear's hair cells when functioning properly?

When noise cancellation is working properly, it reduces or eliminates the need for the eardrum to vibrate in response to sound waves, thus leaving the hair cells largely unaffected and reducing the risk of damage.

What is the importance of being mindful of noise exposure and taking protective measures?

Being mindful of noise exposure and taking protective measures is crucial because noise damage is invisible and irreversible. It's up to individuals to think about and protect their hearing, similar to how they would protect their skin from the sun.

Outlines

00:00

🎧 The Risks of Prolonged Headphone Use

This paragraph discusses the potential dangers of frequent headphone use, highlighting the risk of permanent hearing loss affecting over a billion young adults. The speaker, who often wears headphones, embarks on a journey to understand how to safeguard hearing health. Dr. Amy Sarrow, an audiologist, explains the fragility of our ear's hair cells, which can be irreversibly damaged by loud and prolonged sounds. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of being aware of sound volume and duration, measured in decibels, and how quickly exposure can become hazardous. It also mentions the recommended safe exposure levels by the US Department of Labor and suggests ways to limit volume on devices as a preventive measure.

05:02

🔊 Understanding Noise Cancellation as a Hearing Protector

This paragraph delves into the protective benefits of noise-cancelling headphones in noisy environments. It dispels the notion that noise cancellation is merely a marketing gimmick, instead presenting it as a valuable tool for reducing the need to increase volume to unsafe levels. The paragraph explains the difference between passive and active noise cancellation, with a focus on how active noise cancellation works by using microphones to generate an inverse sound wave to neutralize ambient noise. It clarifies that while noise-cancelling headphones are effective against low-frequency sounds, they may not be as effective against sudden high-frequency noises. The paragraph concludes with a reminder to be mindful of our hearing health and to consider therapy services like BetterHelp for emotional support.

Keywords

💡Headphones

Headphones are a personal audio device worn over or in the ears to listen to audio without disturbing others or being disturbed by external noise. In the video's theme, they are central to the discussion about hearing health, as the script explores the potential risks associated with prolonged headphone use and the volume levels that could lead to hearing loss.

💡Hearing Loss

Hearing loss refers to an impaired ability to hear sound in one or both ears. The video emphasizes the risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss due to the overuse of headphones at high volumes, affecting over a billion young adults. It underscores the importance of being aware of and protecting one's hearing.

💡Hair Cells

Hair cells are microscopic sensory cells in the inner ear that convert sound waves into electrical signals for the brain to interpret. The video describes these cells as vital to our hearing and illustrates how exposure to loud sounds can damage them, leading to permanent hearing loss if they are bent out of shape and cannot recover.

💡Decibels (dB)

Decibels are a unit used to measure the intensity of sound on a logarithmic scale. The script explains that an increase in decibels corresponds to a doubling of loudness, which can quickly become dangerous for hearing health. It also references the US Department of Labor's recommendation for safe exposure levels.

💡Noise Cancellation

Noise cancellation is a technology used in headphones to reduce unwanted ambient sounds. The video distinguishes between passive and active noise cancellation, explaining how the latter uses microphones to analyze and counteract environmental sounds, providing a protective measure in noisy environments.

💡Logarithmic Scale

A logarithmic scale is a scale that is logarithmic, meaning that equal changes in the value of the scale correspond to proportional changes in the quantity being measured. In the context of the video, it is used to describe how decibels work, with small increases in decibel levels representing large increases in sound intensity.

💡Volume Thresholds

Volume thresholds refer to the maximum safe levels of sound volume that can be listened to without risking hearing damage. The script suggests checking phone settings to limit volume to safe decibel thresholds, indicating a method to protect hearing health.

💡Passive Noise Cancellation

Passive noise cancellation is a method of sound reduction that involves physical barriers to block out external sounds. The video script uses this term to contrast with active noise cancellation, explaining that passive methods are less effective but still part of the overall noise reduction strategy.

💡Active Noise Cancellation

Active noise cancellation is a more advanced technology that uses microphones and electronic signal processing to detect and neutralize ambient sounds. The script explains how this technology works by creating an 'anti-wave' to counteract unwanted noise, thus reducing the need to increase volume and protect hearing.

💡Persistent Low Frequency Hums

Persistent low frequency hums are continuous, low-pitched sounds that can be effectively reduced by noise-canceling headphones. The video script mentions that active noise cancellation is particularly good at removing these sounds, such as those from airplane turbines or trains, which are typically below 1000 hertz.

💡BetterHelp

BetterHelp is an online therapy platform mentioned in the video script as a sponsor. While not directly related to the main theme of hearing health, it is highlighted as a service that provides mental health support, suggesting the importance of addressing emotional well-being, which can complement physical health concerns like hearing loss.

Highlights

Over a billion young adults are at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss due to headphone usage.

Our hearing is fragile and depends on tiny hair cells in our ears that can be damaged by loud sounds.

Damage to hair cells is permanent and cannot be reversed naturally or through current treatments.

Hearing damage is caused by both the duration and loudness of sound, measured in decibels on a logarithmic scale.

A small increase in decibels can significantly increase the loudness of sound, making it easy to exceed safe levels unknowingly.

The US Department of Labor recommends no more than eight hours of 85dB exposure for a safe working environment.

Phone settings can limit volume to protect hearing, but if it hinders clarity, consider lowering ambient noise instead.

Noise cancellation is a protective feature in noisy environments, not just a marketing tactic.

There are two types of noise cancellation: passive, which blocks sound, and active, which uses microphones to counteract external sounds.

Active noise cancellation creates an 'anti-wave' to neutralize external sounds, reducing the need to increase volume.

Noise-cancelling headphones are most effective at removing low-frequency sounds, like those from engines or turbines.

Higher frequency sounds, such as sudden loud noises, are not effectively cancelled by active noise cancellation.

Noise cancellation works by creating silence without affecting the ear's hair cells, thus protecting hearing.

Any decent pair of noise-cancelling headphones can protect ears; there's no need to purchase the most expensive models.

Noise-cancelling headphones are not a substitute for other ear protection methods in extremely loud environments.

It's crucial to make a conscious effort to protect our ears from noise damage, which is invisible unlike sunburn.

Transcripts

I wear headphones all the time.

Recently, I've been wondering if all that listening is bad for me,

and this led to a full on spiral

where I learned the horrifying statistic that over a billion

young adults are at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss.

Am I one of those billion?

In a time

where we're giving our ears less of a break than ever before.

How can we make sure that we're not losing our hearing

long term?

And what tools are at our disposal

to ensure that we can minimize that damage?

Headphones are not necessarily bad.

Like, you know, if you if you wear headphones,

you're not automatically going to develop hearing loss.

That's Amy Sarrow

I'm a doctor of audiology so often go by Dr. Amy.

Dr. Amy, explained to me just how fragile our hearing is,

It all has to do with these tiny hair cells in our ears.

So when your hair cells are healthy,

they stand up kind of like a field of wheat.

And when the sound comes through,

it looks like a tornado has come through

and they're all twisted up.

If you're lucky, they're able to sort of,

rebuild themselves back straight up nice and tall

But if you do that often enough,

or if the sound is loud enough, the damage is permanent.

Permanent in the sense

that those hairs are bent out of shape forever.

And you're hearing doesn't come back.

Not naturally.

Nor do we have treatments that can reverse the effects of it.

This permanent damage is caused

by both duration and loudness, which is measured in decibels.

And it works on a logarithmic scale.

Which means if you're listening to something at 85dB

and then you raise the volume to 88dB,

you've actually doubled the loudness.

Even though it's such a small shift.

And this is where things can quickly get dangerous,

because we're often listening louder than we realize.

A lot of times

it was 110 decibels or it was over 100 decibels.

And it's easy to do because you turn the volume up

when you like a song and you don't realize how loud that is.

especially if you're trying to overpower the sound of a train

or the buzz of a coffee shop

or your neighbors mowing their lawn.

So for context, the US Department of Labor recommends

no more than eight hours of 85dB exposure

to be considered a safe working environment.

If you dig into your settings on your phone,

you can limit your volume to certain decibel thresholds.

But if doing so prevents you from hearing clearly, well,

maybe you can lower the volume of the world around you.

Headphones: “Power on.”

The sound you're hearing

is coming from this device,

which is meant to record what you'd actually hear

if you were in this space

and if you were using these headphones.

Headphones: “Power off.”

Now, if I'm honest, I always thought that noise

cancellation was kind of the marketing tactic.

You know, like a neat feature that was pretty cool,

but not 100% necessary.

But the more I talked to experts,

the more I realized that it's actually a protective

line of defense in noisy environments.

There are two types of noise cancellation,

passive noise cancellation,

which is when something is physically blocking the sound

from coming in, and active noise cancellation.

Headphones: “Power on.”

This is when the headphones have mic’s

that can listen to the sound of the environment

For simplicity's

sake, let's visualize this as a singular wave.

The headphones hear that wave, analyze it,

and then generate a sound wave that's the exact inverse of it

An anti-wave, if you will.

When you put the two together.

You get silence...

...or close to it, anyways.

Our environment is much more complicated than one wave.

There's tons of different dynamic

sounds happening all at the same time.

Noise canceling headphones are best,

removing persistent low frequency hums.

Anything in the 1000 hertz range or below.

Think airplane turbines, trains, engine noise.

But that doesn't mean no sound gets in.

What's not going to work well

with that are higher frequency sounds.

So this would be like birds chirping, or a sudden loud sound

it doesn't have a chance to analyze

and decide what to do with that.

So usually the sound is just going to come through.

And when the world still seems too loud.

Like emotionally speaking.

Sometimes I find it helpful to pause,

take a second, and maybe even find somebody to talk to.

And that's where the sponsor of this video comes in.

BetterHelp.

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So take a moment.

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That's betterhelp.com/voxvideo

Now, time to get back to the video.

Creating silence in an otherwise

noisy environment feels like magic.

But it also leads to some weird questions like,

does noise cancellation have volume?

In other words, if we're pumping an anti sound wave to create

silence, are our brains interpreting it as silence

while our ear hair cells

are still getting wrecked in a quiet tornado?

If it's working properly, it will not produce a sound.

My name is Luke Keller,

and I'm a professor of physics

and astronomy at Ithaca College.

you can think about it further up the stream at the eardrum.

it’s bouncing back and forth in response to sound waves.

But if they're canceled, it's not moving.

There's no vibration to transmit to the to the inner ear.

So it is literally making the sound go away.

There's no negative effect.

The cancellation happens

completely in the electronics, not in your head.

So noise canceling actually does remove the sound,

leaving our ears hair cells, largely unaffected.

And that's true of

just about any pair of headphones that have noise canceling.

So don't feel obligated to get the most expensive best ones.

Any halfway decent pair will work

well enough to protect your ears,

But it is important to note that noise canceling headphones

don't work on everything.

Like, if you go to a concert or need to operate a jackhammer,

there are way better ways to protect your ears.

But the important thing is that

we should be making a conscious effort to protect them.

We think about putting on sunscreen

and we can see when we have a sunburn,

but noise damage is invisible.

So we it's up to us to be thinking about it,

to be mindful of it, and to save our ears