SILHILLIANS are being urged to keep the volume down on headphones to protect their hearing.
A study carried out by Specsavers revealed 27 per cent of West Midlands residents cannot leave their house without their headphones, with many people listening to music and podcasts at excessively high volumes.
The poll of 158 adults found the region is more attached than ever to their headphones and people are even willing to turn back and go home up to six minutes into their journey if they realise they’ve forgotten them.
Despite the overreliance, 17 per cent admitted they have rarely or never considered the impact their headphones could be taking on their hearing – particularly if they are listening to their music at excessive volumes.
And on average 26 per cent confessed to regularly ignoring warnings on their phone telling them the volume is too loud.
Nilam Yaqoob, audiology director at Specsavers Solihull, said: “Prolonged exposure to loud sounds through headphones can cause permanent damage to the delicate structures inside the ear. This can lead to issues such as hearing loss and tinnitus, which are often irreversible and can worsen over time.
“With New Year’s resolutions now in full swing, many of which are fitness-focused, more people are reaching for their headphones during workouts, often at unsafe volumes. It’s important to be mindful of how loud and how long you’re listening for, as the damage isn’t always immediately noticeable.”
The study showed situations people dread being without headphones include train journeys, planes, the gym and jogging.
However, eight per cent said they usually listen at a high or very high volume, leading to side effects such as ringing in the ears, sore ears, headaches, muffled hearing and dizziness.
Nilam added: “No matter if you use over the ear headphones or earbuds, exposure to louder sounds over time can be equally as damaging.
“Noise-cancelling headphones are a better option as they allow the volume to be lowered while also improving audibility where there is background noise.”
