Listening to iPods at full volume can damage hearing

SYDNEY: Listening to your iPod on full volume for just six minutes may cause irreversible hearing damage, say researchers.

Edith Cowan University School of Psychology and Social Science researcher Paul Chang's new project focuses of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL), and how it can mean a lifetime of hearing damage for young people.

Chang surveyed three groups from different age ranges to get an understanding of how often they are exposed to loud noises, and whether they understand the consequences.

Key findings from the research include:

-50.6 percent of 12 to 17-year-olds listen to music with personal ear headphones.
-87.2 percent of people aged 18-25 reported sometimes coming home from a concert with ringing ears
-68.3 percent of teens reported that they do not wear any form of hearing protection.

"Young people are highly social, and hearing loss is something that can have significant impact on their ability to enjoy social situations," Chang said, according to a university statement.

"By experiencing what it's actually like to live with this injury, young people can discover how socially isolating it can be, as it's often just too hard to try and engage in social situations when it's impossible to follow a conversation," Chang said.