Whether the time spent is working out, passing time on a plane, finishing homework or merely sleeping, listening to an ipod or an mp3 player  is actually affecting your hearing more than it may seem. As you spend more time tuning out by using the music device to blur external sound, that time is more and more beats on your eardrums.

Some may listen to an ipod using ear buds for hours with the volume on full blast, sometimes maybe too many hours, but exactly how loud is too loud? With the rate of ipods and music devices being sold and continuing to rise, more users will most likely be affected with hearing loss. According to the National Hearing Conversation Association, because music is being transferred straight into your ear through the ear buds,  there is a higher chance of the risk of damage to your hearing.

When you crank up the volume to get the full effect of the song, you are slowly damaging your ears. You can also obtain tinnitus, which is a temporary hearing loss with ringing or swishing in the ear. If you suffer from tinnitus, some symptoms you might be experiencing are ringing, clicking, or a roaring feeling in the ears and head. Tinnitus will go away after a period of time but if you continue to listen to loud music, tinnitus may return. Sometimes the irritating symptoms become permanent.

When experiencing hearing loss, it will get worse as you get older. If you begin to damage your ears at a young age, you risk a higher chance of being diagnosed with a hearing impairment in the future.

Listening to music devices is not the only way ear damage occurs. Going to a music concert, mowing a lawn, listening to the sound of a jet, hearing a gunshot and many other things can effect your hearing as well.

“I listen to my ipod loud when I am jamming out to music all the time. If it hurts our ears so bad then they should not have made the ipods be able to play that loud,” freshman Allie Etzel said.

Possible ways to prevent a temporary or permanent hearing loss are using earplugs or some type of ear covering when sleeping, at a noisy construction site or a rock concert. Headphones have proven better for the ears and attaining less hearing loss.

Keep your music to yourself. If a friend can hear your music while you are using ear buds or headphones then that is a sign to you that your music is too loud. The newer ipods have loudness limiting settings that will help if you often crank up the volume.

“I don’t really care if my ears hurt when I blast my music in my ears because I like how you can not hear other people talking and it makes it sound so much better when it is loud,” freshman Peyton Hardman said.

Using your music to drown out other loud noises is not a good idea. If you have to turn up the music even louder than necessary, then that shows you that you are most likely damaging your hearing.

Ruining your hearing can affect your life in that you will miss out on future experiences. So warning your friends to turn down the volume is helpful advice that everyone needs/hopes to hear about.