For introverts, a noise-cancelling headphone is a godsend. But as the world around us seems to get increasingly noisy, the device has become a necessity rather than a vanity. However, the number of people complaining about ear pain, nausea, and headaches from the headphones have sharply risen, with many reports on hearing loss.
Many believe the ‘white noise’ created by the headphones to cancel environmental noise put a harmful pressure on the eardrum. But studies have shown that lack of environmental sound is the actual culprit. The virtually soundless environment is equivalent to being in an anechoic chamber. Since the body is not designed to experience total silence, the brain loses its ability to help you orient yourself in an environment.
A study by Macquarie University Hearing has shown that 11 out of 17 volunteers developed tinnitus when wearing earplugs everyday for one week. Although the symptom disappeared after they removed their earplugs (the same case for those with headphones-induced hearing loss), long-term use clearly damages the brain’s ability to process sound although the ears can still hear.
Experts said the only time to drown yourself out of the noise is when you’re in a high noise environment. Otherwise, finding a natural way to develop mental focus is the best way to stay free of it.
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