Jump to content

Choose locationChoose Location
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Open I want to choose my medical group or hospital
    • Clear my location
Change Location
Sutter Health
  • Video Visits
  • Find Doctors
  • Find Locations
  • Treatments & Services
  • Locations
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Video Visits
    • Find Doctors
    • Find Locations
    • Treatments & Services
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Symptom Checker
    • Get Care Today
    • Health & Wellness
    • Classes & Events
    • Research & Clinical Trials
    • For Patients
    • About Sutter Health
    • Giving
    • Volunteering
    • Careers
    • News
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Other Business Services
Close Search
  • Home
  • Ask an Expert
  • Loud Music and Hearing Loss
Content

Ask An Expert

Loud Music and Hearing Loss

Ask the Expert Team

Ask the Expert Team

Sutter Health

Question:

I use ear buds with my MP3 player and wondered what volume of sound is safe. Can loud music cause hearing loss?

Answer:

When using an MP3 player, the recommendation is to keep the volume at one half the scale, or less. Specifically, on an I-Pod device, I counsel my patients and family members to keep the volume no more than half way across the “bar”. Ear buds vary in sound quality, and the tighter the fit, the more likely there is no sound leaking in or out around the buds. This may be nice for listening to music in a noisy environment or on an airplane, but it also can become dangerous to your hearing.

Many people who use MP3 devices experience tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and even some temporary hearing decrease. Both these are symptoms that your hearing is at risk. Loud music is proven to cause significant hearing loss over time. Louder music and sounds will cause the hearing loss process to speed up rapidly. Case in point: I had a teenager come in for a hearing test and he already has a mild to moderate permanent hearing loss at one of the frequencies in both ears. Upon counseling him, he admitted to using his MP3 player more than six hours a day and demonstrated how loud he likes to play it. I explained that if someone sitting next to you can hear the music as well, then it is probably loud enough to cause hearing loss for the wearer. Note that your auditory system does not distinguish rock from classical music, so the hearing loss will be the same for any type of music, if played loud enough.

The goal is to preserve your hearing by turning the volume down to safe levels. If you are still wondering about what level is safe, I recommend you speak with an audiologist and have a baseline hearing test.

Related Questions

Question
  • Treating Swimmer's Ear
    What is "swimmer's ear" and what is the best way to deal with it?
  • Symptoms of Meniere's Disease
    I have been diagnosed with Meniere's Disease. I have always had ringing in my left ear. Recently I have noted a thumping sound in my left ear. Is this another symptom of Meniere's Disease?
  • Ear Wax Build-Up Treatment
    How do I get a buildup of wax out of my ears? My friend suggested an over-the-counter product (Deprox). Are there any home remedies that I can use, and what do you think of ear candles?
  • Heart Disease and Hearing Loss Connection?
    I recently read that hearing loss is more common in people with heart disease or those who've had a heart attack. Why would this be?
  • Tinnitus: Ringing in the Ears
    I've been taking antibiotics for an ear infection for about six days, but my ears won't stop ringing. Is there anything I can do to stop this?

Back to Ear, Nose and Throat

The Sutter Health Network of Care
Expertise to fit your needs
Primary Care

Check-ups, screenings and sick visits for adults and children.

Specialty Care

Expertise and advanced technologies in all areas of medicine.

Emergency Care

For serious accidents, injuries and conditions that require immediate medical care.

Urgent Care

After-hours, weekend and holiday services.

Walk-In Care

Convenient walk-in care clinics for your non-urgent health needs.

About Sutter

  • About Our Network
  • Annual Report
  • Awards
  • Community Benefit
  • Contact Us
  • News
  • Giving
  • Find Care

  • Birth Centers
  • Care Centers
  • Emergency Rooms
  • Hospitals
  • Imaging
  • Labs
  • Surgery Centers
  • Urgent Care
  • Walk-In Care
  • View All >
  • Featured Services

  • Behavioral Health
  • Cancer Services
  • Family Medicine
  • Home Health and Hospice
  • Orthopedics
  • Pediatrics
  • Pregnancy
  • Primary Care
  • Women's Health
  • View All >
  • Patient Resources

  • Accepted Health Plans
  • Classes and Events
  • Estimate Costs
  • Health and Wellness
  • Medical Records
  • Medicare Advantage
  • My Health Online
  • Pay a Bill
  • Symptom Checker
  • Our Team

  • For Employees
  • Physician Careers
  • Recruiting Events
  • Residencies and Fellowships
  • Sutter Careers
  • Vendors
  • Volunteers
    • ADA Accessibility
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

    • LinkedIn Opens new window
    • YouTube Opens new window
    • Facebook Opens new window
    • Twitter Opens new window
    • Glassdoor Opens new window
    • Instagram Opens new window

    Copyright © 2022 Sutter Health. All rights reserved. Sutter Health is a registered trademark of Sutter Health ®, Reg. U.S. Patent & Trademark office.

    Cookie Policy

    We use cookies to give you the best possible user experience. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences

    Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences