Earphones 'potentially as dangerous as noise from jet engines,': study
06 Sep 2012
New research identifies for the first time how high volumes of sound damage nerve cell coating leading to temporary deafness
Turning the volume up too high on your headphones can damage the coating of nerve cells, leading to temporary deafness; scientists from the University of Leicester have shown for the first time.
Earphones or headphones on personal music players can reach noise levels similar to those of jet engines, the researchers said.
Noises louder than 110 decibels are known to cause hearing problems such as temporary deafness and tinnitus (ringing in the ears), but the University of Leicester study records for the first time the underlying cell damage has been observed.
The study has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
University of Leicester researcher Dr Martine Hamann of the Department of Cell Physiology and Pharmacology, who led the study, said:
