![]() The process typically starts with a small hole that is then widened gradually. If you go for a run, CR experts suggest using headphones that let outside noise in.Ear stretching refers to the gradual stretching of your earlobes. "When you keep yourself from being able to hear important warning signals around you, it could kill you." "It's not so much damaging to your hearing as it is hazardous to your health," Fligor says. Finally, skip earphones when you're engaging in an activity where you need to hear the sounds around you, such as driving a vehicle or bicycling. That causes you to listen in that one ear more loudly." "When you have it (a headphone) only on one side, it doesn't feel as loud, so you turn it up. "Our two ears work together to give us this greater sense of loudness," Fligor says. And Fligor is working with WHO to draft guidance (PDF) to help these and other manufacturers incorporate features that warn consumers when they've hit their limit. Note, however, that while CR tests noise-canceling headphones, we haven't evaluated these features. But some newer models, such as the BeyerDynamic Aventho and the Bose Bosebuild headphones, have built-in features that track how long and how loud you've been listening, and adjust volume accordingly to safer levels when necessary, Franck says. ![]() It can be hard to keep on top of the long-loud rule, however. When using any headphones, Fligor recommends following the 80-90 rule: If you listen at 80 percent of the maximum volume, do so for no more than 90 minutes per day. "If it's loud enough that you have to raise your voice in order for someone to understand you, that means it is inducing you to turn your music loud enough that it'll be overworking your ears," Fligor says.īe mindful of how long-and how loud-you're listening. Try these.Īlways use noise-canceling headphones in noisy environments. Whichever kind of headphones you use, it's important to take steps to reduce your chances of headphone-related hearing damage. (Note that the headphones that CR recommends range from $65 to $350 per pair.) If you're shopping by brand, "take a look at which brands have models that score consistently highly," Rerecich says. To find a quality pair, Rerecich suggests consulting Consumer Reports' ratings for noise-canceling headphones that have an Excellent or Very Good score. A number of headphones also passively block some sound the way an earplug would.Ĭurrently, no studies suggest that one type of noise-canceling action is more protective than the other, Fligor and Franck say. "You can hear the music at a moderate level without having to blast it."Īctive noise-canceling headphones use battery-powered technology that creates sound waves that essentially cancel out the outside noise. "Noise-canceling headphones can minimize problems because you don't have to play the headphones as loud to drown out noises," says Maria Rerecich, director of electronics testing at Consumer Reports. (These come in over-the-ear and earbud styles, and both are equally protective.) But if you're in a loud spot, noise-canceling headphones-which reduce the amount of outside noise that seeps into your ears-may be best at preserving your hearing. Franck, Ph.D., director of audiology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear at Harvard Medical School. If you're listening to music in a quiet setting, the style of your headphone may not matter so much, says Kevin H.
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