IPods Potentially Worse for Your Hearing Than Industrial Settings, Rock Concerts

Everywhere you look, there they are: the quintessential iPod-white earphones. They hang from the heads of those estranged inhabitants on the bus, on the city sidewalk, and in the subway. And they're there for a reason; they entertain, provide a somewhat fashionable statement and, most importantly, block out background noise.

Yet there's a hefty price tag that comes with these headphones, and this one doesn't have anything to do with copping out to the iPod bandwagon. It's hearing loss-something that has become all too common amongst Americans.

Consider this: an iPod's maximum volume (in the US, where there's no legislated volume cap) is more than 115 decibels. That's loud; in fact, that's deafening. It's approximately the same volume as an ambulance siren, a grounded jet, or a chainsaw.

But how many people go around all day with their iPods at max volume? Perhaps only a minimal amount. On the other hand, how many people listen to their I-pods at the recommended volume-less than 40% for approximately 1 hour a day? With Apple bragging that it's little device can play for over 20 hours and store 15,000 songs, once again, perhaps only a minimal amount.
In order to prevent hearing loss, it's important to understand the decibel levels. Once it was found that 85 decibels over an 8-hour period could prove to be damaging to the ears, Industrial regulations took action. Either the factory had to find ways to quiet down or the boss had to provide earplugs; the noise had to be reduced. Because decibels work exponentially, 85 decibels over 8 hours is equal to 88 decibels over 4 hours. 88 decibels over 4 hours can be reduced to 91 decibels over 2 hours. In just 15 minutes of listening to an iPod at 100 decibels, the listeners' ears get a full day's work's worth of industrial noise.

This noise breaks down the microscopic cells that surround the cochlea within the ear, that's the snail-shaped part, and causes ringing, buzzing, or roaring. This sensation, referred to as tinnitus, may last about 16 hours after the ear's initial damage. Although the sounds of tinnitus may eventually leave the ear, the damage does not.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss has become a serious pandemic. In America alone, nearly 30 million people suffer from some form of it, and the vast majority of it is irreversible. Pete Towshend, British guitarist for the Who, recently published a warning to all of the iPod users around the world-turn it down or face the consequences. Townshend, who's played hundreds of ear-blistering rock concerts, blames loud earphones for his NIHL.

In the end, many of those white earphones might just be replaced by skintoned hearing aids. That is, unless, the iPod bandwagon smartens up and turns down the music. Otherwise, the iPod might just be branded with a Surgeon General's warning; how's that for a sleek fashion statement? Nevertheless, perhaps iPod users might just adapt to a heightened philosophy-turn the music off and enjoy the silence while it lasts.