Introduction
Whether it’s jamming to your favorite tunes, pumping up your workouts, or zoning out while traveling, headphones have become an integral part of our lives. But did you know that this seemingly harmless habit could be leading to hearing loss?
While this problem arises mostly among young people who listen to music constantly, the bigger issue is when you use your headphones for a longer while for canceling out loud noises around you when being on a plane, riding on a metro, or when you’re trying to fall asleep. Therefore, the benefits of music suddenly become hearing problems.
In fact, the sound from the headphones directly reaches the ears, which can cause various issues, such as hearing complications, ear infections, numbness of the ears, the sensation of pain in the ears, and even life-threatening accidents caused by the loss of hearing.
Luckily, there is a safe way to prevent this and still enjoy your favorite music at different times. In this blog, we’ll see why you should use open-ear headphones, how you’ll benefit from them, and explore the relationship between headphones and hearing loss. So, let’s begin!
Traditional Headsets
Headphones have been around for years. Of course, there is rarely a person who doesn’t like to listen to music or some interesting or educational podcast. So, instead of overwhelming others with your taste, you can simply put headphones on and enjoy.
Traditional headsets usually consist of two elements: headphones and a microphone. Their functioning is pretty simple. The headphones convert electrical signals into sound waves, which you hear directly in your ear, while the mic picks up your voice and converts it into electrical signals that travel to the recipient.
But nowadays, as listening to music is on the rise, hearing loss is a very common scenario, especially among teenagers and young adults. People use headphones to listen to music, relax, or cancel out noises around them. So, let’s have a look at some of the most common triggers that contribute to damaged hearing!
Lack of Volume Regulations
As we briefly explained, when you use traditional headphones, the sound goes directly into your ears. However, the bigger issue is the unsuitable sound intensity. How many times have you increased your volume to the maximum when your favorite song was on? Or maybe it was too loud outside, and you wanted to block out the noises completely.
Well, scientific research shows that if the intensity of the music surpasses 85 decibels, you will most probably face some hearing complications, even completely damaging your hearing. Another related issue to this is how long you’ll wear the headphones.
The best scenario is to use them continuously for less than 15 minutes. Anything above this and louder than 85 decibels can definitely threaten your hearing and cause significant issues. You can even start feeling ear numbness, which can become hearing loss.
Bacteria Growth
The second factor that can lead to damaged hearing, even complete hearing loss, is the growth of bacteria. Just try to recall how many times you have shared your headphones with your friend. Even if you haven’t, wearing them very often causes a lot of bacteria.
This is because traditional headphones completely cover your ears. This causes humidity, which, in combination with the dark area in your ear, is the perfect place for different bacteria to grow. As a result, your favorite headphones can cause severe ear infections or transmit bacteria from the ears of other people to yours. If not treated on time, you can easily face hearing loss.
Noise-Canceling Headphones (NCHs)
Noise-canceling headphones have become extremely popular in the last few years. And how they wouldn’t. You will drastically lower the risk of damaging your hearing and ensure a much safer experience.
Benefits of Noise-Canceling Headphones
Noise-canceling headphones have two great benefits: reduced need for high volumes and improved listening experience.
More precisely, NCHs have a passive noise-canceling effect on the higher frequency sounds. If you activate the noise-canceling, the surrounding noises will be drastically reduced. Therefore, you will have a much better listening experience, which will be clearer and more immersive.
On the other hand, noise-canceling headphones, such as the Shokz ones, are very beneficial in reducing the risk of hearing loss that loud music causes. In other words, as the surrounding noises will be reduced, you won’t need to turn up the volume and put your hearing at risk.
Drawbacks of Noise-Canceling Headphones
However, you still need to be careful, even with noise-canceling headphones. If you listen to music for a while, you may experience ear fatigue, which will increase the irritability in your ears, make it harder to concentrate, and even lower your motivation levels.
Another issue that can arise is the potential for ear bacteria. Even if your NCHs are closed and cover your ears, bacteria can still grow inside and cause painful infections. Ultimately, NCHs can make you less aware of your surroundings. If you focus on the music and ignore the sounds around you, you may even get into an accident.
Open Ear Headphones
Open-ear headphones are a revolutionary innovation in the headphones sector. They leave your ear canal open, prioritizing your comfort and safety. The two main concepts of open-ear headphones are bone-conduction and air-conduction tech.
Bone-conduction headphones basically transmit the soundwaves through the bones in your ear canal. The bones feel the vibrations, which your brain perceives as audio you enjoy. The best part is that your ears are free for the whole time.
In comparison, air-conduction headphones transmit sound waves through the air and into your ear canal. They cause your eardrums to vibrate, the brain picks up the sounds, and you can listen to your favorite music.
Why Are Open Ear Headphones Better Than Traditional Ones?
The answer to this question is very simple. Thanks to their open design, these headphones stay clean and are very comfortable even for all-day use. Thus, ear infections problems are significantly lower.
Furthermore, their concept allows you to stay aware of the surrounding noises even while listening to music on the metro, on a plane, or walking through the park. As a result, users are less likely to be involved in an accident.
So, if this is what you’re looking for, we highly suggest you check out Shokz's products that utilize bone-conduction technology for enjoying high-quality music and stay safe. We recommend OpenRun Pro 2 and OpenFit for your listening experience. You may choose freely according to your own aesthetics and habits.
Conclusion
Choosing the right pair of headphones is crucial for your hearing health. Traditional headphones can drastically damage your hearing, cause ear bacteria, and even lead to hearing loss. So, to avoid all of this, you should consider the incredibly safe alternative ﹘ open-ear headphones.
They leave your ear open and breathing, come with an incredibly comfortable design, and still provide high-quality audio. With Shokz’s revolutionary technology, we are constantly working to improve people’s listening experience, and keep you connected to others.
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