The Hidden Danger of the iPod
The Hidden Danger of the iPod
It seems that just about anywhere you go today you will see them. Those white ear buds that are a telltale sign of an iPod seem to be on just about everyone these days. The ability to easily download your favorite music and the ability to carry it with you on a portable device has led to an explosion in the length of time people listen to music through ear buds. This seemingly innocuous behavior though has several very dangerous consequences that are becoming more widespread due to use of these devices.
The two main conditions of concern are tinnitus and hearing loss. Tinnitus is a condition that involves ringing of the ears and comes about because of the imbalance caused by listening to a loud sound for a long duration of time. Prevention involves not listening to music at such a high volume and not listening to it for a long duration of time. One tinnitus actually occurs tinnitus treatment options include special implants to shield the ear, drugs to alleviate the symptoms, and for chronic cases surgery. Hearing loss results from the same phenomenon as tinnitus and can become as severe as partial or complete hearing loss. Given these risks it is vital to take the correct precautions to avoid damaging your ears.
