Headphone, Is It Safe For Hearing Function ?

Headphones, Is It Safe For Hearing Function?

During COVID-19 pandemic, the use of mobile phones is common for all age groups, including school-age children. Learning activities that were previously given face-to-face learning have been transferred to online learning, which necessitate students to have a communication device. Mobile phones are considered to be a practical communication device because they are smaller, easier to carry, more affordable prices with an interactive design compared to computers. The various sophistications offered by mobile phones make users are hypnotized for hours using the device. For personal use, especially while listening to the music, mobile phones are also equipped with headphones.

There are several types of headphones, namely: circumaural headphones, supraaural headphones, and ear-fitting earphones. Circumaural headphones have circular earmuffs that cover the entire earlobe, thereby reducing ambient noise. In supraaural headphones, the earmuffs do not cover the entire earlobe, but press against the ear. These types of headphones are lighter than circumaural headphones, but cannot isolate environmental noise. Ear-fitting headphones consist of two types, earphones and canalphones. Earphones are placed on the outside of the ear, in contrast to canalphones that are placed in the ear canal so that they are not easily detached and have the ability to isolate ambient noise better. Both types of ear-fitting headphones are small so they are easy to carry.

The Hearing Alliance of American states that hearing loss in school-age children is found 15% and is caused by listening to music at a loud volume. The allowed noise exposure limit based on the Regulation of the Minister of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia in 2018 are 8 hours per day for 85 dB intensity, 4 hours for 88 dB intensity, 2 hours per day for 91 dB intensity. Another study states that listening to music with an intensity of more than 89 dB for 1 hour per day has the potential to cause hearing loss.

Noise-induced hearing loss is a permanent change in hearing threshold due to long-term exposure to noise. The stereocilia of the outer hair cells, a structure in the inner ear that is responsible for transmitting sound signals to the auditory nerve fibers, are damaged by shortening or loss of stereocilia and being replaced by scar tissue. Increasing the intensity and duration of exposure will exacerbate the damage that has occurred, resulting in permanent hearing loss. The degree of deafness due to noise varies, ranging from mild to severe deafness, which can be corrected with the use of hearing aids. Preventive measures are very important considering the deafness that occurs is permanent. One simple step is to use mobile phones and headphones wisely, provided that the volume is set not to exceed 60% of the device volume limit and the duration of use does not exceed 60 minutes per day.