DO GADGETS AFFECT HEALTH
1 CAN IPODS CAUSE HEARING DAMAGE?
It’s a logical assumption: you blast Lady Gaga at full volume through your iPod ear buds all the way through your daily gym routine, your hearing gets affected over a period of time (if you’re a gym bunny, that is. If you’re not, let’s just say you’ve got more than just your ears to worry about). Right? Wrong! “There are lots of problems associated with listening to music at loud volumes, like ear aches. But the truth is that in clinical practice, there is no direct correlation between loud iPods and hearing loss,” says Dr Shomeshwar Singh, consultant ENT and cochlear implant surgeon, Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon. “Devices like iPods are designed with user safety in mind. So, no, average listeners will not suffer from diminished hearing even if they are plugged in a couple of hours every day.”What you can get however, is a condition called tinnitus, in which you can hear strange ringing sounds in your ears when it is quiet. “This is usually temporary and goes away on its own with time,” says Dr Singh. “There is no treatment, but in rare cases, it can be permanent.” Prolonged use of earphones can also lead to buildup of ear wax so severe in some cases that the only way to remove it is – gulp – through surgery.
Use soft earbuds or comfy over-the-ears muffs, advises Dr Singh. Other than that, you’re safe – as long as you don’t drive or cross the road with your headphones on, of course.
HTBR120617
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