2019 NHCA Annual Conference

There is growing concern amongst hearing health organisations around the world that increasing headphone use could be permanently damaging the hearing of headphone users.  The World Health Organisation report 1 billion people at risk of hearing loss claim that for most people hearing loss is due to large sound doses, the biggest source of which is from headphone use.  Exposure to large sound doses (combination of how long, how loud and energy of what you listen to) can destroy your auditory hair cells giving you permanent hearing loss.  68% of headphone users, in a company survey, are aware of the risks, though few of act as the only information they get is from the simple volume level warning from their phone, which, if adhered to, makes their content inaudible in many listening situations. As a result most users ignore the warnings and listen too loud, for too long and damage our hearing.  Is the solution is to allow us to listen as loud as we wish for as long as is safe?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAIDBsgDbkM   Could we start to change behaviour by providing easy to understand sound dose based information with optional protection a Fitbit for the ears perhaps?