Q. Isn't it safe to listen to classical music?
A. Whether it's classical, rock or country, it doesn't matter if the decibel level is over 85 dB -- it's too loud.
Q. Can my iPod/MP3 player damage my hearing?
A. Many people have ear buds that channel music right into the ear, which can actually cause greater damage because you don't realize how loud the music really is. Prolonged exposure to loud noise, whether it's you iPod/MP3 player, video games or working around farm machinery all cause hearing loss because of the length of exposure and the decibel level.
Q. Whenever there is background music, noise or other people talking at the same time, I seem to have problems hearing someone speak to me. Is this normal?
A. This may indicate a hearing loss and you should see an audiologist for a hearing test. If you do have a hearing loss, you should protect your hearing by avoiding loud noise and wearing ear plugs
Q. Why do we have earwax?
A. Tiny glands manufacture earwax or cerumen to coat the inside of your ear to protect it from dust, dirt and germs. As new wax is produced, the old wax gets pushed out. There is no need to clean your ears because they naturally clean themselves. Some people have problems with impacted earwax which can cause temporary defness. They need to see a doctor to help clean out their ears -- but you should never stick anything into your ears bigger then your elbow. You could damage your ears and you could actually be pushing in the old wax.
Dangerous Decibels
You do the math... D+D = D
Decibels + Duration = Damage!
Question: How long can you listen to your iPod/MP3 player before it harms your hearing?
Answer: that depends upon how loud it is and how long you listen to it
The louder the sound, the less time you can listen to it. You could listen to sounds like whispering at 20 dBs or normal voices at 65 dBs for a very long time without damage. But crank up the volume on your iPod/MP3 player to 100 dBs and that is loud enough it cause permanent damage after just 15 minutes per day!
Sound travels in waves and its energy is measured in decibels. The more forceful the wave, the higher the decibel. Sounds that are higher then 85 dBs can permanently damage your hearing.
As decibel levels increase by three, the amount of time you can listen decreases by half.
You can listen to your iPod/MP3 player at 90 decibels for 2 hours, but turn it up to 93 decibels and your ears can only listen for one hour before damaging your hearing.
The other factor in all of this is what's called the "cumulative" effect and that means although you listen to your iPod/Mp3 player for only one hour, you need to add to that all the other noise your ears are being bombarded with on a daily basis, such as a lawn mower, a stereo system in the car, a hockey game, a hair dryer, power tools etc.