Music has been part of our lives since the time it was invented. I do not know anyone who doesn’t appreciate music. As far as I know, at some point in each individual’s life, there was a time when they loved music. Some people listen to music while rekindling unforgettable memories; others dance to upbeat tracks as a form of recreation and exercise, and quite a number of people listen to music to get inspired. Whatever reason each person has, one common thing all of them have is the love and appreciation for music. Music crosses all borders, cultures, language, and most especially age groups. Everyone from all walks of life, from different ages and genres is a music enthusiast. Now that we have established how important music is, Could it be possible that too much music can cause harm and unwanted consequences? For teens, does listening to music from IPods and MP3 players damage the ears and cause hearing loss?

According to a current study conducted by researchers in Boston, hearing loss is continuously on the rise by approximately 5 percent from 2005 to 2006. This research found out that in every 5 teenagers aging from 12 up to 19, 1 of them is likely to suffer from a certain degree of hearing loss. This impairment is thought to be caused by personal music devices which include the very popular IPod and MP3 player. External noise coming from busy streets, normal conversation, subways, thunder, ambulance and other sources also contribute to hearing loss. The researchers observed that the use of portable music players at maximum volume and at long extended periods is a major contributing factor to this finding. It is believed that potential hearing loss starts at the inner ear, instead of the ear drums. The inner ear’s nerve endings are affected by the sound-volume which is measured in decibels (dB) and the length of sound exposure, measured in minutes or hours.  A non-damaging, healthy sound-volume and length of exposure would be anything that is less than 85 decibels in an 8 hour period. If it goes beyond this value, it becomes potentially harmful and may cause permanent hearing impairment. IPods and MP3 players when at maximum volume produces 99 decibels, if teens listen to their devices at full volume, even for 15 minutes, it would already be very damaging. Hearing loss is progressive so for kids as young as 12 who start damaging their auditory senses at that time, it is very likely that they’ll go completely deaf by the time they reach 40 or 50.

Like in all cases, everything should be done in moderation. Nothing too much nor nothing too less, this general rule applies to everything in life, including music. Teens would need to practice moderation when it comes to using their IPods and MP3 players; they need to limit the sound-volume and length of exposure at a healthy threshold to avoid damaging their auditory function. Hearing is one of the most important senses that we have and losing it would make our lives very difficult.