A foot tapping, a pen clicking, a nasty cough from a classmate: all equally irritating and frustratingly distracting when trying to focus. The easiest solution, and one that has become an equal companion to the smart phone, is noise cancelling headphones. With the press of an ear bud or icon, all noises can blur, leaving behind a blank auditory environment. This habit and others, however, may be causing entire generations to weaken and very possibly permanently damage their hearing.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in 2022 that the exposure to personal listening devices and loud entertainment venues is putting an estimated one billion people aged 12 to 34 at risk of hearing loss. Predictably, loud sounds and extended time in loud environments pose a risk to one's hearing. Earbud use combines these factors, with users potentially unaware of the volume level and length of sound exposure. The WHO publication was created to bring awareness to the rising issue of hearing loss, and has aided in further research about the unsafe habits and the health concerns that have arisen in consequence.

When sound waves enter the external auditory canal, they cause the eardrum to vibrate, which causes a chain reaction of vibrations until they reach the inner ear. The cochlear duct, or scala media, is a chamber filled with fluid and lined with hair cells that transform sound energy in the form of fluid waves to neural information that the brain can process. Noise-induced hearing loss occurs when loud sounds over 85 decibels damage these hair cells. When they are damaged, the hair cells are destroyed permanently and will not regenerate. The hairs at the entrance to the cochlear duct detect higher frequencies, so they are often damaged first, leading to difficulties deciphering high pitched noises and speech in loud environments.

With the press of an ear bud or icon, all noises can blur, leaving behind a blank auditory environment. This habit and others, however, may be causing entire generations to weaken and very possibly permanently damage their hearing.

Another concern of noise cancelling headphones specifically is auditory processing disorder (ADP), a neurological condition in which the brain struggles to process different sounds and speech, especially in environments with many sources of noise. Complex auditory processing is thought to finish developing at around age 14, meaning the use of noise cancelling headphones may be delaying the brain's ability to understand speech and other distracting noises. This idea was explained by the vice president of the British Academy of Audiology, Claire Benton, in an article from BBC. Research is limited on the connection between ADP and headphone usage, but concerns about the increase in hearing issues in younger populations has sparked interest in further investigation of the issue.

Hearing loss is a normal part of aging, but there are still many ways to prevent the excessive damage that harmful habits are inflicting on younger generations. Using ear plugs in loud environments and scheduling quiet time are healthy habits that reduce the risk of continued noise-induced hearing loss. Many ear buds even have safety features that indicate to users when dangerous levels have been reached. The awareness that ear buds have the capacity to permanently cause hearing damage by combining excessive volume with extended use will aid in the reduction of harmful habits.

Ultimately, managing hearing is a balance. Between the extremes of blocking out all noise and embracing the roar, there lies a sweet spot. By using appropriate habits, people can help their hearing and preserve their auditory connection with the world.