Effect of Using Earphones on Music-Induced Hearing Impairment

Abstract

Objectives:

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) has become more common among adolescents due to increased exposure to personal music players. Many adolescents listen to music on headphones. We aimed to assess whether the use of earphones has a significant effect on music-induced hearing impairment among teenage students.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study recruited students who habitually listen to music in a quiet environment. Listeners with the use of earphone and desktop speaker were included. Pure tone audiometry (PTA), distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), and questionnaires were obtained. Cumulative noise exposure (CNE) was calculated by listening time and volume of using portable players.

Results:

A total of 105 subjects were analyzed. Mean age was 17.03 years. Sixty-eight subjects (67.76%) used earphones, and the others used desktop speakers. Mean of PTA at high frequency (average of 3000, 4000 and 6000 Hz) was 8.97 dB HL (SD = 5.71). DPOAE amplitude level at high frequency was 19.87 dB SPL (SD = 5.11). Mean of CNE was 86.66 dB-year (SD = 12.14). There was a good dose-response relationship between CNE and DPOAE amplitude levels at high frequency (P < 0.01). Under the similar CNE status, subjects with earphones had worse DPOAE amplitude levels than those with desktop speakers (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

This study identified that the use of earphones may affect the relationship between music exposure dose and NIHL at high frequency. To preserve hearing, teenage students should avoid using earphones to listen music for long periods of time.