The Unheard Sound.

These days I seem to be in the midst of a losing battle. A battle with the head/earphones. My daughter seems to be in a world of her with these constant plugins. She hardly hears my voice. So small a piece of technology and so large the side effects. A constant companion for morning walks, gym work outs, videos and soul rendering music, headphones are a necessity in every household. But what about its harmful effects?

Here’s a small run through of what the ear consists of. Ear is mainly divided into three parts, the outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. The outer ear is the earlobe and a canal passing into the middle ear. Three tiny bones and the eardrum consists of the middle ear. Nerves from the inner ear carry the sound waves to the brain and processes the sounds. So, what can be so harmful in constantly using head/earphones?

· Amazing music is delivered through high quality headphones these days. But constant use of the same can lead to congested aural air passages

· Constant congestion in the ear canals can lead to recurrent ear infections

· Music or noise at loud levels can cause Noise induced hearing loss

· With placement of the earphones so close to the eardrums, a sudden blast can lead to damaged or torn eardrums and hearing loss.

· Tinnitus or a constant ringing in the ear can be an aftereffect of long-term usage of headphones

· In the long run, electromagnetic waves from the headphones can cause adverse effects to the inner ear and the brain.

So how do we exist without the earphones?? Well a difficult question. Since we can’t seem to live without it, let’s choose right for ourselves and are children. Here are some tips that can be followed.

· Reduce the listening time using headphones.

· Turn down the volume when listening to music with a clash of instruments.

· Opt to listen through speakers if possible.

· Cheap headphones are a definite no-no. Buy quality one that have noise filters in them.

· If possible, use over the ear models rather than earbuds or plug ins.

· When using earbuds, clean them regularly to prevent dirt and infections

Doctors recommend a 60-60 rule when using earbuds. That is play the sound at no more than 60% of the maximum volume and limit the listening time to 60 minutes per day.

Most of us are music lovers. Earbuds or headphones can enhance the quality of music we hear. But we need to be aware of the risks of the long-term use and educate ourselves in the long run.