Dr. Ekaterina Kutateladze, an otolaryngologist, warned that prolonged use of headphones can damage hearing even when the volume is moderate, reports infohub.kz.
According to her, constant strain can lead to sensorineural hearing loss, and in-ear models increase the risk of irritation and otitis externa. The specialist recommends following the 60/60 rule: listen to music at no more than 60% of maximum volume and for no longer than 60 minutes at a time. After that, it's important to take a break to reduce the strain on the hearing system.
For multi-hour use, it's better to choose over-ear headphones with active noise cancellation, the doctor added. This helps reduce the need to increase volume in noisy environments.
Ringing in the ears, muffled hearing, or a habit of asking people to repeat themselves after removing headphones are reasons to lower the volume and consult an otolaryngologist.