Hearing Center: Are iPods Creating New Sensory Problems?

There is a small epidemic occurring in young individuals today -- one that has perhaps not gotten the mainstream attention it deserves. It will come as no surprise to anyone that more young people than ever before are plugged in to personal music players for much of their day. College students, in particular, are known to be glued to them as they walk to and from classes, ride the public transit, and any other time they have the opportunity to turn up their music and ignore the world around them. Doctors, however, now feel that these young men and women may be ignoring a potential problem -- one that is showing up at many a hearing center around the country. We've known for a long time that kids who haven't reached a certain age often think themselves nearly immortal, and oblivious to the dangers that present themselves more obviously to those aware of their own mortality. Included in this denial, naturally, is a flagrant disregard for one of the most important of the five senses. With iPods and other personal music players becoming far bigger than the Walkman ever dreamed of being, millions of college students spend their days enveloped by their burgeoning music library. And while they may be oblivious to the world around them, the more important concern may be their ignorance when it comes to the damage they could be doing to their ears. As many a hearing center around the country can attest, the issue of auditory loss in young people is a growing problem. A recent study in the International Journal of Audiology confirms the fears of many health professionals. According to the research, as many as a quarter of all college students may be suffering from some degree of impairment. The study was conducted by recruiting students who were then tested to make sure they had normal hearing levels. After then assigning them a regimen of listening to a personal music device, a fourth of the 56 students surveyed were found to have suffered impairment. The consequences of a study like this have yet to be seen. Many doctors across the country warn against the use of iPods and other personal music devices. While many others don't go quite so far as to recommend their total banishment, they do advise keeping the volume level set low. Many of these devices come locked with volume governors that prevent the user from exceeding a certain decibel level. Of course, some users have found ways to crack this governor in an attempt to achieve higher volumes, which can lead to a greater risk when it comes to auditory sensory loss.