Headphones and Earbuds

I am often asked if the use of headphones or earbuds are damaging to your hearing. My typical answer is “No they are not, especially if they have no sound coming out of them.”  Now that may be my ‘wise guy’ answer but there is some truth to it.  Obviously, if there is no sound coming out of the headphones there is no danger to your hearing.

There are two main factors that determine if they will cause any damage; time and intensity. Intensity refers to how loud the music is turned up and time refers to the amount of time you are listening to the music.  The louder the music is, the less time it takes to cause damage. So loud music coming out of headphones can cause hearing loss. However, the same amount of hearing damage will occur if the music is coming from the speakers of your stereo system or a live band.  In other words the source of the music is not the problem. The intensity of the music when it arrives at the ear drum is the problem.

The biggest problem with headphones or earbuds is that the user can turn the volume (intensity) up to a damaging level without anyone else (parents) knowing how loud it is.  Obviously, if the stereo is too loud the parents can hear it also and ask that it be turned down. However, they have no way of monitoring how loud the headphones are turned up.

That is where kid safe headphones enter the picture. Kid safe headphones are designed to prevent kids from turning the volume up above a safe level.  Pacific Audiology Center has partnered with Puro Sounds.  Puro Sounds has developed a high quality wireless Bluetooth headphone that is kid friendly.  The output of the headphones can never exceed 82 db which keeps it at a safe level.  Parents can be assured that their children are not listening to the music at damaging levels.

The quality of the sound is excellent.  They are also available in an adult size.  When paired with the Bluetooth of the phone they can be used to listen to music, audiobooks, movies and phone calls with the convenience of wireless connectivity.

Learn More about Puro Sounds’ Kid Safe Headphones, available NOW at Pacific Audiology. »